MS Dhoni, who joined the team as an iconic player in 2008, still leads the team at 43. The seasoned wicket-keeper batsman continues to leave everyone wondering what he will do next, eighteen seasons later. The fact that CSK finished the 2025 season at the bottom of the points table has heightened calls for a total makeover of the team.
Former Indian cricketer Murali Karthik had some interesting points to make regarding the entire situation. While talking on Cricbuzz, he stated that although the fans adored Mahi, there should come a time when he finally calls it quits. Karthik believed that the CSK captain should retire, while people ask why rather than why not.
He also talked about Virat Kohli’s retirement from Tests. The left-arm spinner said that despite being fully fit at the age of 36, he retired, and the fans felt he could’ve played for 2 or 3 more years. Karthik was afraid that, in Dhoni’s case, that might not happen. Talking about the Super Kings’ captaincy dilemma, the former RCB player stated that they wouldn’t take the captaincy away from Ruturaj Gaikwad and give it back to Dhoni next year.
“As much as the world loves Dhoni and as much as certain things we don’t want to end, a day has to come when they have to go. Sometimes what happens is that you don’t want to be pushed, isn’t it? Sometimes, you don’t want even the ones who love you to actually say, ‘You have overstayed your welcome.’ Even if it’s MS Dhoni or whoever, just think about it,”
Murli Karthik via Cricbuzz
Karthik felt that it was an almost impossible job to fill MSD’s shoes. He said that the management should give Gaikwad some more time to find his own footing. The talented right-handed batter got injured and left the tournament mid-season. It will be really interesting to see how the five-time champions fight back after their worst season in IPL history.
Reviewing Chennai Super Kings’ season to forget
After the IPL 2025 auction concluded, many fans believed that CSK would be the team to beat. However, things went downhill quickly, as they finished the season at 10th position for the first time in IPL history. Not only did RCB win at their ground after 17 years, but CSK also lost to DC and SRH, recording the most number of losses at Chepauk in a single season.
The Yellow Army started the season strongly, defeating their biggest rivals, MI. However, the problems began to show after their loss to RCB in the Southern Derby. Their bowling wasn’t as effective as they had hoped, and players like Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar, and Rahul Tripathi just weren’t firing. They continued to lose matches, as their inability to chase targets of more than 180 was highlighted even more.
Midway through the season, Gaikwad got injured. Then, the captaincy was handed back to Dhoni in the hopes of a turnaround. Although their fortunes didn’t change, there were quite a few positives to build on for the next season. Young guns like Dewald Brevis, Urvil Patel, and Ayush Mhatre — all three of whom came into the team as replacements — brought new energy to the side. They won their last match against the table-toppers, GT, and finished the season on a high note.