Chennai Super Kings\u2019 association with MS Dhoni has long gone beyond matchday headlines. Even with the veteran not appearing in a single game in IPL 2026 due to recurring injuries, the former India captain stayed at the centre of conversation around the franchise. Supporters at Chepauk briefly held out hope when he was seen on a matchday, but later updates confirmed that yet another injury had ruled him out. With Dhoni missing throughout the campaign, speculation only grew around whether he might still return for one last appearance for CSK.<\/p>\n
Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar said he has grown tired of the continual discussion surrounding Dhoni\u2019s availability and believes CSK leaned too heavily into emotion rather than focusing on results and the practical balance of the squad.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the Sportstar Podcast, Manjrekar said he feels drained by how often the topic has been revisited, adding that his stance does not hinge on whether Dhoni plays or not. In his words, the question has become too repetitive: \u201cWhether he plays, whether he doesn\u2019t play.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the same time, Manjrekar underlined that his respect for Dhoni has not changed. He pointed to the impact Dhoni delivered for India and for CSK during his prime, and suggested that a younger version of the wicketkeeper-batter could have led this current CSK group into the playoffs through his leadership.<\/p>\n
However, Manjrekar argued that CSK\u2019s biggest error in IPL 2026 was attempting to accommodate Dhoni in the squad despite ongoing fitness concerns and advancing age. He said the franchise should shift attention toward present-day performances\u2014prioritising match-winning execution and team needs over sentimental attachment.<\/p>\n
\u201cCSK have learned one harsh lesson \u2014 don\u2019t get too emotional about your players. Be emotional about the reality, the performances, your current standing, the points table,\u201d Manjrekar said, stressing that the franchise must evaluate decisions through the lens of on-field outcomes and where they stand in the standings.<\/p>\n
Chennai Super Kings\u2019 association with MS Dhoni has long gone beyond matchday headlines. Even with the veteran not appearing in a single game in IPL…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":10708,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"IPL 2026: Dhoni Absence Sparks CSK Debate, Manjrekar","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"IPL 2026: MS Dhoni stays sidelined by injury, and Manjrekar says CSK\u2019s success doesn\u2019t hinge on his presence\u2014what it means for Chennai.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10709","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n