MS Dhoni has planned the terms of his retirement

Ask anyone, and chances are the majority will speak in favor of MS Dhoni continuing in the IPL. Fans certainly can't get enough of the former Indian skipper in the game. And yet, time and again, the question arises about when Chennai's beloved Thala will hang up his boots from the league. The IPL has entered the 18th edition of its successful course, and for the last 4-5 seasons, speculations have religiously hinted that the upcoming one might be Dhoni's last. However, thankfully, that day has not come yet. For now, Dhoni is set to play for CSK in IPL 2025 as well. Recently, in an interaction, the World Cup-winning skipper opened up about the factors that would define his retirement plans.

MS Dhoni opens up on his retirement plans ahead of IPL 2025

Much to the dismay of fans, MS Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket in 2020. India's heartbreaking loss to New Zealand in the 2019 ODI World Cup marked his last game in Indian colors. Following that, the IPL remained the only platform where fans could watch MS Dhoni in action. However, with the former CSK skipper already relinquishing his captaincy, speculations have been rife for a long time that his days in the league are numbered. While people keep guessing season after season, MS Dhoni is clear in his mind about what will ultimately decide the timeline of his retirement.

MS Dhoni was retained as an uncapped player by Chennai Super Kings for IPL 2025 as the governing council revived the retention rule. Dhoni, who has led CSK to a record five titles, stepped down from the captaincy in favor of Ruturaj Gaikwad after the team clinched the IPL 2023 title. However, Dhoni recently expressed that he would continue playing as long as he enjoys the carefree nature of the game. At this point, having achieved almost everything, from World Cups for India to multiple IPL titles with CSK, the 43-year-old plays to revisit his childhood.

“I’ve retired since 2019, so it will be a while before I stop playing. What I’ve been doing in the meantime is just enjoying cricket, as I did when I was a child. Back then, 4 o'clock in the afternoon meant it was sports time, so we’d play cricket whenever possible. If it rained, we’d switch to football. I want to keep playing with that same carefree spirit… although it’s easier said than done," Dhoni said.