MS Dhoni's IPL Farewell: A Nation Refuses to Let Go

By IPL 2025, MS Dhoni — arguably India's greatest-ever captain and one of cricket's most beloved figures — was well into his mid-40s. He had long retired from international cricket. And yet, every IPL season, the question of whether this was finally his last one generated more media coverage than most tournaments themselves.

Dhoni's IPL 2025 appearances were, objectively speaking, limited. He batted low in the order, typically came in with five or six balls remaining, and was expected to hit one or two sixes. Which he did, with the absolute calm of a man who had been doing this for twenty years.

The absurdity was exquisite: a crowd of 50,000 people at Chepauk, who had been watching young, supremely athletic cricketers compete at the highest level for three hours, would rise to their feet as one when Dhoni padded up. The noise levels for his walk to the crease — for what might be three balls at the end of an innings — exceeded anything produced during the entire preceding match.

When Dhoni hit a six — off three balls at the bottom of the innings — the crowd went to a level of noise that no Twenty20 century had produced. When he missed and was bowled, there was a grief that seemed disproportionate to the four-ball innings that had just ended.

The running commentary of whether each Dhoni appearance was "the last ever" had been a fixture of Indian cricket media since 2022. By 2025, the whole country had accepted that nobody — least of all Dhoni — was going to admit it was the last one. He would simply keep appearing until he didn't.

“I play when I'm available and when CSK want me. Beyond that, nothing has been decided.”

“Dhoni will play as long as he wants. He is Chennai Super Kings.”

The Dhoni farewell watch continued to be one of cricket's most sustained ongoing storylines. His refusal to commit to a retirement date — or to give any indication of future plans — kept the nation in a permanent state of bittersweet anticipation.