Former India Cricketer Discusses Dhonis Impact Player Role in IPL 2026
MS Dhoni will be playing in the IPL yet again for Chennai Super Kings. This has excited the fans but Chennai will be having another wicket-keeper in their team after a long time. It also raises the question whether Dhoni will be used as an impact player or not?
MS Dhoni will be playing in the IPL yet again for Chennai Super Kings. This has excited the fans but Chennai will be having another wicket-keeper in their team after a long time. It also raises the question whether Dhoni will be used as an impact player or not?
The Indian Premier League 2026 will bring some happy moments for the fans. And specially for the Chennai Super Kings fans, as they will be able to watch MS Dhoni play for the team once again. But this time, it is not just Dhoni who is a part of the team as a wicket-keeper, he is joined by another
And it is Sanju Samson, who has been an integral part of the national T20 side. The question is who will be keeping the wickets for CSK in the upcoming IPL season? Will it be Dhoni, showing his magic once again, or will Dhoni be used as an impact player this time and give more opportunities to Sanju Samson? A former Indian cricketer has given his views on the same.
1. Mohammad Kaif on Dhoni's Role
On his YouTube channel, Mohammad Kaif did a live stream yesterday, where he talked about the plans of Chennai Super Kings in the upcoming IPL auction. Taking a look at the team's composition, he talked about the players they could go after. And also gave some hot takes on the question, who would be keeping the wickets for
Talking about this, Kaif has completely quashed the rumours or thoughts of having Dhoni as an impact player. Last season also, Dhoni used to bat for the team down the order and kept the wickets for the entire game. Kaif thinks that Dhoni will be continuing his role as a leader for Chennai Super Kings yet again in the next season.
,“Dhoni does not bat anyway. He is playing to keep 20 overs and to captain 20 overs. He is playing to guide the players. He is there to guide Gaikwad. He is playing only for this, as a mentor and captain.”
Gaikwad was the captain of Chennai Super Kings, but Kaif believes it is Dhoni who gave the required instructions. He said,“On paper, Gaikwad may be the captain, but till Dhoni is on the field, things are in his hands. There is no doubt about what he does. So I do not think he will play as an impact player. Either he will rule himself out, but no chance of him being an impact player.”
Kaif also said that it is impossible to have Dhoni as an impact player for the majority of the last season. He said,“The era where a keeper could not field is gone. Now in the IPL and Indian cricket, it has all changed. Uthappa kept, Kedar Jadhav kept, KL Rahul also became a keeper. Now 2-3 wicketkeepers play in the XI, even in the Indian team. Sanju Samson will play as a fielder and Dhoni will keep in the starting at least. You need Dhoni on the field for a long time. Samson is not close to Dhoni in wicketkeeping. No one can reach that level. Only Dhoni can do what he does. He will run the game from behind.”
2. CSK’s Batting Strength
Chennai Super Kings will be entering the upcoming IPL edition with a strong batting line-up. Although they have released players such as Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra, the team still holds strength in its batting line-up. And even in the auction, they will eye some key batsmen which will help them to
The biggest inclusion which has been made to the same is the wicket-keeper, Sanju Samson. Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings were involved in talks for a trade deal over the past few months. And looking at the capabilities of Samson as a player, a captain, and a wicket-keeper, Chennai Super Kings came out as the best fit for him.
Sanju Samson in IPL:
- Innings: 172
- Not Out: 20
- Runs: 4704
- Average: 30.94
- Strike Rate: 139.04
- 100s: 3
- 50s: 26
With the inclusion of Sanju Samson to the line-up, Chennai Super Kings have also lost two of its players who could bat in the middle. This includes Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. Despite their exclusion, the team still has a strong batting line-up even after the retention. They will be heading with batsmen such as Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ayush Mhatre, Shivam Dube, Urvil Patel, and a lot more.
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