'Feels Like The Right Time For...’: Ex-CSK Batter Weighs In On MS Dhoni’s IPL Future Post 2026 Auction

Ex-CSK batter believes that the speculations relating to MS Dhoni's future in the IPL can be put to rest after CSK's investment at the IPL 2026 auctions on December 16, 2026. The former player suggested that this season could be Dhoni's last in the IPL.

At the IPL 2026 auction, CSK applied a youth-focused auction strategy, which could mean that MS Dhoni is likely preparing for a transition from player to mentor role. Additionally, Uthappa shared that given the squad CSK currently have, this could be the right time for the transition.

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Robin Uthappa On MS Dhoni's Transition

The former KKR star shared that all the signs point to this being MS Dhoni's last season in the franchise. Additionally, he shared that CSK could likely try and develop another Jadeja under Dhoni's mentoring and Ruturaj Gaikwad's captaincy.

On JioHotstar’s TATA IPL Auction Review show, Uthappa shared. "I don’t think his (Dhoni’s) role changes dramatically because this transition has been ongoing for a while. Ever since the captaincy returned to him from Ravindra Jadeja, you could see that he’s been gradually shifting responsibility year after year. Each season, more responsibility has moved towards Ruturaj Gaikwad."

He further added, "When you look at this squad now, it genuinely feels like the right time for Dhoni to step away, because many of these players were literally kids when he first started playing the IPL. From here, CSK will need to identify a core from within this group and build forward."

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Change In CSK's Auction Strategy

In the IPL 2026 auction, CSK focused heavily on youth talents, which is quite different from their previous endeavours, as the franchise is known for relying on experience and proven names. This season, the Chennai-based team picked up nine players from the auction pool, with all-rounder Prashant Veer and wicketkeeper-batter Kartik Sharma being the most eye-catching of them all.

CSK spent Rs 14.2 crore each on the two young stars, making them the costliest uncapped players in the history of IPL. The franchise also acquired the services of Sarfaraz Khan, Rahul Chahar, Matt Henry, Akeal Hosein, Matthew Short, Zak Foulkes, and Aman Khan in the 2026 auctions.