Former India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Suresh Raina explained why the team needed MS Dhoni the most in the IPL 2026 season in comparison to the last few seasons. Raina said that more than Dhoni himself, the emerging cricketers need the former captain the most.
Suresh Raina felt that the upcoming Indian Premier League season is going to be very vital for CSK as they will have to chalk out plans for the upcoming years, when Dhoni may not be with the team as a cricketer.
MS Dhoni to remain as the main cog of CSK in IPL 2026
Chennai Super Kings will start their IPL 2026 journey on March 30. Their first match will be against the Rajasthan Royals at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati. MS Dhoni, 44, is all set to take the field again for the five-time league winners. If the rumours are to be believed, this will be the last IPL season for the icon.
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Ruturaj Gaikwad will be the captain of the team, but MS Dhoni will remain the central character of the squad. Youngstars will be eager to learn from the best, and there will be no better guide than the former World Cup-winning captain, Suresh Raina believes.
“Now, the youngsters need mentorship. When Dhoni sits in the dressing room, he’ll tell them why this franchise is successful, why they should become successful players from here. They need to stay here.
Suresh Raina explained why CSK needs Dhoni the most
Ruturaj Gaikwad will lead from the front. But when things happen around Dhoni, all the youngsters who go there will say the same thing. They want to learn from the best,” Suresh Raina said on Star Sports.
Raina further stated that Dhoni’s role as the keeper-batter will be very crucial for the team. If Dhoni’s mind and body are maintained in shape, then he may play all of the IPL 2026 games to benefit the team.
“Dhoni’s role as a keeper and a batter will be very important. But the head coach sitting with Dhoni will talk to them and tell them what to do in a given situation. This year, I think they’ll play all the matches”, he added.
CSK will have to pave the path for the future
From now on, the franchise will have to think about the future, and the upcoming IPL season can be the perfect stage for them to design a blueprint with opinions from the captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and MS Dhoni to keep the momentum going for the upcoming three years, Raina explained.
“But when they sit with Ruturaj, they have to make a team of three years from here. So, I think this year will be more important than the last two or three years. This year, 2026, is going to be more important than that. They have to spend time and identify the role of each player. So, here, more than Dhoni, the youngsters need Dhoni the most,” Raina said explaining the role of MS Dhoni in the team.
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