Chennai Super Kings, one of the most successful teams in IPL history, became the first side to be knocked out this season. MS Dhoni’s team was eliminated from the playoff race after losing by 4 wickets to Punjab at home yesterday. While Chennai’s journey is over, Dhoni’s future remains unclear.
Before the match between Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings began, a big question was circulating: Was this Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s last IPL match? The speculation grew after Dhoni’s own words.
At the toss in Chennai, commentator Danny Morrison asked Dhoni if he would play in the IPL next year or retire before then. The crowd at Chidambaram Stadium reacted loudly, clearly eager to know too. Dhoni’s answer only deepened the mystery—he laughed and said, “I don’t know if I will play in the next match or not.”
Naturally, the big question now is whether Chennai captain MS Dhoni played his final match against the Punjab Kings. Dhoni, much like his team, struggled for form this season. Just a day earlier, former Australian star Adam Gilchrist shared his thoughts on Dhoni’s future.
Gilchrist said, “MS Dhoni is a legend. He has nothing left to prove—his achievements speak for themselves. Dhoni knows best what’s next for him, but he will need to make a decision soon. It’s hard to say, but maybe it’s time for him to step away. I love Dhoni; he’s an icon of the game. But perhaps it’s time to say goodbye.”
Chennai played Punjab Kings at the M. Chidambaram Stadium in Chiplun on Wednesday. After choosing to bat first, Chennai scored 191 runs but were bowled out with 4 balls remaining, thanks to a hat-trick by Yuzvendra Chahal. Sam Curran was Chennai’s top scorer with 88 runs (hitting 9 fours and 4 sixes off 47 balls). No other Chennai batter made a significant contribution. Chahal took 4 wickets, while Marco Jansen and Arshdeep Singh each took 2 wickets.
In reply, Punjab chased down the target with 2 balls and 4 wickets to spare. Openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh gave them a fast start. Priyansh made 23 runs, and Prabhsimran scored 54 off 36 balls with 5 fours and 3 sixes. Captain Shreyas Iyer added 72 off 41 balls, and Shashank Singh finished things off with a quick 23 runs. With this win, Punjab moved up to second place on the points table.
