Dhoni should retire if he plays as Impact Player, Chopra says

Dubai: Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra believes that MS Dhoni, the star of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), should not continue as an ‘Impact Player’ and that it might be wiser for the 44-year-old to “hang up his boots.”

CSK take on Rajasthan Royals in their Indian Premier League 2026 opener on March 30.

Speaking on JioStar, Aakash explained, “You do not run the team from the dugout, it’s not football. In cricket, you need to be on the field, and MS Dhoni’s biggest asset is his ability to read the game better than anybody else. That clarity and conviction are what make him who he is. In any case, I feel this could be his last season. He has the heir apparent now. Sanju Samson will eventually don the gloves, it could even happen at some stage during this season. Again, conditions apply in terms of MS Dhoni’s fitness and his knee. But he cannot be the Impact Player. If he is playing as an Impact Player, I think it’s time for him to hang up his boots,” said Aakash.

He also suggested that Dhoni may no longer be CSK’s “unofficial captain,” instead stepping back as the squad gets younger. After a difficult previous season, CSK infused fresh energy into the lineup, with players like Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre, and Urvil Patel bringing aggressive hitting and a fearless mindset.

For the current season, the franchise has recruited players such as Nathan Ellis and Sarfaraz Khan, while also investing heavily in young domestic talents Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer. The latter is even being viewed as a potential successor to Ravindra Jadeja, who has been traded to Rajasthan Royals.

Drawing an analogy, Aakash said, “There is a small analogy. If you want your baby to start walking, you need to hold their hand and teach them. But if you want them to run, you need to let go. If you keep holding on, they will never learn to run. From Dhoni’s point of view, if somebody has been anointed as the next Captain, then he has to take a backseat, and I think he already has.”

He further added, “If you look at the auction and the way the team has been built, it is not the team MS Dhoni would have built if it were left entirely to him. Would he go with these many youngsters in one go? This is Ruturaj Gaikwad’s team. MS Dhoni will observe things and not say much. He might offer advice here and there, but that’s where it stops. He did that well with Virat Kohli at the international level as well, allowing them to grow and prosper. And if they seek help, he is always there.”

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