May 3, 2025: The IPL 2025 season continued to be a challenging one for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as they suffered yet another defeat, this time falling short by just two runs against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in a thrilling encounter at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. With their ninth loss of the season, CSK was officially eliminated from the playoffs race and remain at the bottom of the IPL 2025 points table.
However, it wasn’t just the defeat that grabbed attention. Following the tense match, an emotional moment between two of Indian cricket’s biggest icons—MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli—captured the hearts of fans around the world. After the match, Kohli and Dhoni shared a heartfelt hug, followed by a moment of mutual respect where Kohli, in an iconic gesture, removed his cap before greeting the Chennai legend during the post-game handshakes.
The image of that moment was shared by Star Sports, the official IPL broadcaster, alongside a sensitive caption: “One last time?” The post immediately set social media ablaze, sparking emotional discussions about the future of the two cricketing legends, with many speculating whether this could be one of the last times fans would witness such a moment between the two.
While Dhoni has yet to publicly comment on his future in the IPL, the defeat on Saturday further fueled the rumors of his potential retirement. The 43-year-old has been non-committal about his future in recent weeks. When asked about his retirement plans during the toss of a previous game, Dhoni responded with a cheeky smile: “I don’t know, I don’t know if I am coming for the next game.”
In a candid podcast with Raj Shamani earlier last month, Dhoni revealed that he would take his decision on retirement “one year at a time.” He explained, “I’m 43, by the time I finish this July, I’ll be 44. I’ve 10 months to decide whether I’ll play one more year. It’s not me who is deciding, it’s the body which tells you whether you can or cannot. One year at a time. Fully focused on what needs to be done right now. We will see after that, after 8-10 months.”
As the IPL 2025 season continues, the fate of CSK and their captain remains uncertain. With CSK having already been eliminated from playoff contention, the IPL community—and fans alike—are waiting to see whether this will be Dhoni’s last season or if he will return for another round in 2026.