Legendary West Indies batter Chris Gayle has shared his thoughts on MS Dhoni’s future with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The Jamaican superstar believes Dhoni has earned the right to decide when to step away from the game, saying the CSK icon should keep playing for as long as he wants.
Dhoni’s Journey After International Retirement
The Jharkhand cricketer stepped away from international cricket back in August 2020, but he has continued to be a key figure in the IPL. In the 2025 season, MS Dhoni once again found himself leading CSK after Ruturaj Gaikwad’s injury forced a captaincy change just five games into the campaign.
A Tough Season for CSK in 2025
Unfortunately, the 2025 edition turned out to be CSK’s worst-ever season. The team managed only four wins out of 14 matches and, for the first time in history, finished at the bottom of the points table. Even at their fortress in Chepauk, they picked up just a single win.
MS Dhoni himself struggled with the bat. He scored 196 runs in 13 innings, averaging 24.50 with a strike rate of 135.17. Battling fitness issues, the veteran even dropped down to No. 8 in the batting order.
Retained Under New Rules
Ahead of the season, MS Dhoni was retained by CSK for ₹4 crore under a new rule that allowed teams to keep a veteran as an “uncapped player.” He had given up the captaincy in 2024, but circumstances brought him back to the leadership role in 2025.
Despite the disappointing year, MS Dhoni’s overall record in the league remains remarkable. Across 278 IPL games, he has scored 5,439 runs at an average of 38.80 and a strike rate of 137.45, along with 24 half-centuries. Under his captaincy, CSK have lifted the IPL trophy five times.
Gayle’s Backing for MS Dhoni
Speaking on a YouTube podcast with Shubhankar Mishra, Chris Gayle was clear in his support for Dhoni’s future in the IPL.
“Oh, why not? Like I said, he should play as long as he wants to. He earned that. He earned the right to play as long as he wants to, and he earned the right to walk away when he wants to as well. Yeah, absolutely.”
Chris Gayle’s Own Glittering Career
Known as the “Universe Boss,” Chris Gayle has his own legendary numbers to look back on. In ODIs, he scored 10,480 runs in 301 matches at an average of 37.7, with 25 centuries and 54 fifties. In Tests, he played 103 matches, piling up 7,214 runs with 15 hundreds and 37 half-centuries.
His IPL career spanned from 2009 to 2021, where he played for Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Punjab Kings. He scored 4,965 runs in 142 matches, smashing six centuries and setting the record for the most sixes in IPL history with 357.
Gayle last featured in the IPL and for West Indies in 2021, but his impact as one of the most destructive batters the game has ever seen remains unmatched.
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