Sanjay Manjrekar: Dhoni in his prime would have led this CSK side to the playoffs

M.S. Dhoni’s retirement has become an annual talking point in the Indian Premier League ever since he stepped away from international cricket in 2020. Now 44, the Chennai Super Kings icon continues to face speculation over whether each season could be his last. Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, however, says he has stopped investing energy in the conversation.

“To be very honest I’ve exhausted myself so much talking about another Icon that I’ve got nothing left to say. If you want a very short and brutally honest answer, I don’t care. CSK has handled that situation very differently and something that I’ve lost interest in,” he says.

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The former cricketer-turned-broadcaster added that while Dhoni’s legacy in Indian cricket remains untouchable, the current version of the former India captain is “a shadow of himself”, and any possible farewell now carries greater emotional value for fans than cricketing significance for the team.

“What he’s done for India is something that I’ll take to bed every time. I just love Mahendra Singh Dhoni for what he did. The current version is a shadow of himself. CSK has handled that Dhoni phenomenon very poorly and as a result just messed up the whole team. So, whether Dhoni plays one last game or not is something for his fans and everyone to like,” he added.

Manjrekar also believed Chennai Super Kings would have been a vastly stronger side had a prime Dhoni been leading this squad.

“If Dhoni in his prime was leading this version of CSK, the team would have been in the playoffs,” he opined.

Dhoni has remained on the sidelines this season because of a calf injury and with the tournament entering its business end, speculation surrounding his retirement has only grown louder.

Published on May 18, 2026