Ranchi: Former India and Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has returned to training, fuelling fresh speculation that the veteran cricketer has begun preparations for the Indian Premier League 2026.
The Jharkhand State Cricket Association on Friday shared a short video clip of Dhoni getting padded up for a net session, captioning the post, “Look who is back.” Another caption accompanying the clip described him as the “Pride of JSCA: Mahendra Singh Dhoni.”
In the video, Dhoni is seen interacting with former India batter and JSCA official Saurabh Tiwary before stepping into the nets, triggering excitement among fans over his possible involvement in the upcoming IPL season.
The window for IPL 2026 has been fixed from March 26 to May 31, adding further weight to the speculation surrounding Dhoni’s return to training.
Dhoni retired from international cricket in 2020 but has continued to feature exclusively in the IPL. Although Chennai Super Kings are currently led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, Dhoni remains an integral part of the franchise, both on and off the field.
Since the inception of the IPL in 2008, Dhoni has scored 5,439 runs in 278 matches at an average of 38.30 and a strike rate of 137.45. His tally includes 24 half-centuries, with a highest individual score of 84 not out.
