MS Dhoni’s Final IPL Season? Irfan Pathan Makes Big Claim Ahead Of IPL 2026

Chennai Super Kings enter TATA IPL 2026 chasing a record sixth title, bolstered by Sanju Samson’s arrival. Speaking on JioHotstar, former India cricketers Piyush Chawla and Irfan Pathan highlighted Samson’s role in opening the innings, Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad’s leadership, and MS Dhoni’s impact.

Chawla highlighted how the inclusion of Sanju Samson solves CSK’s opening challenge:

“Sanju Samson is a match winner in himself. He proved his doubters wrong with three back-to-back impactful knocks against West Indies, England and New Zealand in the T20 World Cup. CSK will be very happy with his form because Samson has peaked right before the start of the IPL. That is great news for their fans. Coming to Chennai, the way the wicket plays there will definitely suit his game."

"Opening the innings, his aggressive style will benefit CSK a lot. Last season they struggled to get quick starts. Only after Ayush Mhatre arrived did CSK start scoring runs in the Powerplay. Now, with Samson in, their opening problems will finally be solved. They need that experienced opener alongside Ayush Mhatre. Samson’s trade move to CSK is going to be a blockbuster one.” Chawla said.

Irfan Pathan explained how Sanju Samson’s arrival could ease the pressure off Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad:

“Sanju Samson’s arrival at CSK will allow Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad to express himself a bit more. We have seen him grow as a leader. It is not easy leading in the IPL while also taking forward the legacy of MS Dhoni. That is one of the toughest things to do in your career. But Dhoni’s support, along with the help Sanju Samson brings, will always benefit Ruturaj."

"Looking at the squad and imagining the playing combination are two different things. CSK’s success mantra in the past was to bank on experienced players. Now, they have made a change in approach and are going for younger, less experienced players. They are building for the future too. But there are still exciting players in the team like Dewald Brevis, Urvil Patel, Shivam Dube and Sarfaraz Khan. I want to see how they go about their business this season.”

On how CSK can fill the void left by Ravindra Jadeja:

“Jadeja became the player he is with time. When he played for Rajasthan Royals in the first two IPL seasons, Shane Warne gave him confidence and told him he was a future superstar. That gave him a lot of belief. With time, he reached the level he is at today. Then he joined CSK in 2012.The same can happen with Prashant Veer. Playing for CSK at a young age gives you a lot of cushion.

If you are in the starting XI from the beginning of the season, you will play most games. That is a big plus. Not all franchises do that. They work differently. But CSK keeps it simple for young players. With MS Dhoni and the experienced guys around, and Stephen Fleming as Coach, they make things easy on and off the field. When you have that kind of simplicity in a high-pressure environment like the IPL, it helps a lot. So, for Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer, it is an exciting and learning time at CSK.”

On the importance of MS Dhoni’s experience for CSK this season:

“CSK is incomplete without MS Dhoni. This season might be the last time we see him in the yellow jersey and it’s tough to imagine CSK and the IPL without him. This season, Dhoni will play an important role in bringing everyone together. I’m not sure how many games he will play. But his presence in the dressing room will help a lot. Sanju will benefit because he will be part of the leadership group as well."

"Ruturaj Gaikwad is the leader. But as a group, two or three guys are being groomed for the future. That is where MS Dhoni comes in. I hope he makes a difference. Questions about his fitness, batting position, and whether he will play all games will still come up. The CSK team management will take it step by step. They will definitely look to give him a perfect farewell by lifting their sixth IPL trophy.”