Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batsman Subramaniam Badrinath has revealed an interesting conversation he had with MS Dhoni, in which the former CSK captain revealed his mindset around his IPL future and his thoughts on the Impact Player rule.
As November approaches, fans are eagerly awaiting news on Dhoni, whether the 45-year-old will play another season of the IPL or has he decided to call time on his illustrious career in yellow.
The BCCI is set to set a deadline around mid-November for the ten franchises to announce their list of retained and released players, and a month on from then, the IPL auction is expected to be staged.
In IPL 2026, MS Dhoni didn’t play a single match due to a calf injury, while Dhoni’s knee issue also is apparently persistent. Dhoni was initially ruled out for the first two weeks of the season but then suffered a “setback” as he “tweaked” his calf again. Dhoni also avoided travelling to many of the away matches this season and was mostly based in Chennai.
MS Dhoni’s body cannot withstand long durations: S Badrinath
Meanwhile, Badrinath, who was a long-time CSK teammate of MS Dhoni’s, has revealed that Dhoni told him he will not play as an Impact Player as he is a “full-time” wicket-keeper and wants to be on the ground for the entirety of 20 overs.
Badrinath, however, reckons the Impact Player provision would be apt for MS Dhoni: given his age and injury issues, he wouldn’t be able to keep for 20 overs throughout the tournament, and his role as a super-specialist finisher requires him to bat only in the last few overs of CSK’s innings.
In a video on his YouTube channel, Badrinath said, “He has personally told me that he won’t play as an Impact Player. He sees himself as a full-time keeper, and that means he has to be on the field for the full 20 overs. So he won’t play as an Impact Player, but I feel if he does, it’ll tactically benefit CSK. His body cannot withstand long durations, which even Fleming has said. He is only going to bat after the 16th over and keep wickets. When his participation is so less, he would be ideal as an Impact Player.”
Meanwhile, MS Dhoni’s continuation in the dressing room for CSK at least for one more season would be imperative given that the franchise parted ways with head coach Stephen Fleming. CSK are yet to announce their new coach; Michael Hussey, CSK’s batting coach, seems to be the frontrunner to replace Fleming.
CSK have failed to reach the IPL playoffs for the last three seasons.
Impact Player rule under criticism, BCCI asks feedback from franchises
The Impact Player rule has come under scrutiny and criticism from several quarters, including from current IPL captains, players, and former cricketers. A few months ago, Sachin Tendulkar criticized the Impact Player rule for creating an “imbalance” and suggested this rule needs to be done away with.
Tendulkar had said in May in a Cricinfo event, “I feel there are a few things which, on a personal note that I can say, I think the impact player needs to go away. I feel when in a T20 format you just have to play 20 overs, and then you are adding one more batter to that line-up. Where bowlers are already being challenged, I find that imbalance.”
The BCCI has, as per Cricbuzz, asked for feedback from the franchises on the Impact Player rule. However, it is believed that this rule will continue for at least one more season.
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