IPL 2025: MS Dhoni Addresses Retirement Speculations Amidst Criticism

April 6, 2025: MS Dhoni has once again addressed the speculations surrounding his retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL) as he gears up for another season with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in 2025.

During a pre-recorded podcast on his official YouTube channel, Dhoni revealed that his retirement decision will not be based on his personal choice, but rather his body’s condition. At 43 years old, Dhoni mentioned that he takes things “one year at a time” and will make a decision after IPL 2025, as by then, he will be 44. He emphasized that it is his body that will determine when it’s time to retire, not him.

“No, not right now. I am still playing the IPL. I have kept it very simple, I take it one year at a time, I am 43, by the time IPL 2025 finishes, I will be 44, so after that, I have 10 months to decide if I would play or not. But it is not me deciding, it is my body that decides. So, one year at a time, we will see after that,” Dhoni said in the podcast.

Dhoni’s comments came after CSK’s recent home game against Delhi Capitals (DC), where he batted at No. 9. Despite his efforts, Dhoni only managed 30 runs off 26 balls, struggling to find boundaries. CSK lost the match by 25 runs, and Dhoni was criticized by some for coming in late to bat. However, he remained upbeat about his fitness and future in the game.

In the aftermath of CSK’s loss, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming also addressed the retirement rumors. Fleming stated that he does not discuss retirement with Dhoni, and he is simply enjoying working with the legendary captain. “No, that’s not my role to put an end to it. I have no idea. I’m just enjoying working with him. He’s still going strong. I don’t even ask these days. You are the ones who ask,” Fleming said in the post-match press conference.

Before the start of IPL 2025, Dhoni had shared his views on retirement, saying that he is focused on enjoying the game and continuing to play for as long as possible. “I’ve retired since 2019, so it will be quite some time. What I’ve been doing in the meantime is just wanting to enjoy cricket for the last, whatever few years I will be able to play,” Dhoni had said.

He also reflected on the innocence of playing cricket as a child and how he wanted to experience that joy again in his professional career. “I want to enjoy it, as I did as a child when I was in school. When I lived in a colony, 4 p.m. was sports time, so we’d go and play cricket more often than not. But if the weather doesn’t permit, we used to play football. I want to play with the same kind of innocence (but it is) easier said than done,” Dhoni had added.

In IPL 2025, Dhoni has had a decent start, scoring 76 runs from four innings, with just one dismissal so far. Despite the loss to RCB, where he was criticized for coming in late, Dhoni remains focused on the team’s overall performance.