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MS Dhoni will not give up wicketkeeping, Sanju Samson told to wait his turn for CSK: ‘Might not play full season but…’
Former CSK star Subramaniam Badrinath predicted MS Dhoni would not be used as an impact player by CSK, and will be the first-choice wicketkeeper.
No team in cricket is as synonymous with a single player as Chennai Super Kings with MS Dhoni. However, now at 44 years old, the need to look beyond Dhoni and plan for the future is as urgent as any for the five-time IPL champions. A blockbuster deal which would see a different high-profile Indian wicketkeeper-batter make his way to Chepauk is underway, but the question remains how significant a role Sanju Samson will play right from the off in yellow.
Expected to come in for Ravindra Jadeja as well as a second CSK player such as Sam Curran, Samson would likely form a strong opening pair with Ruturaj Gaikwad. However, it is in the field that the question marks remain. Samson is a wicketkeeper by trade, but will likely need to keep his gloves aside for a season after Dhoni’s participation in 2026 is confirmed.
A former CSK hero in Subramaniam Badrinath predicted that there was no chance Dhoni would be a batting-only player, and that he would continue to act as wicketkeeper for CSK. Speaking on Star Sports, Badrinath explained that Dhoni would want to maximise his time on the field during what could be his last IPL.
“MS Dhoni definitely won’t play as an impact player. If he plays, he will feature as a keeper,” explained Badrinath. “The main reason for Dhoni playing is he needs to be out there at the Chepauk. As an impact player, he might come out to bat only in the final two overs. We don’t know if he comes out to bat in that case.”
‘It will not happen that…’
Dhoni was certainly still very good with the gloves for CSK, sparking a couple of remarkably quick stumpings as he turned back the clock behind the stumps. However, Badrinath stated that there is a possibility Dhoni would be rested and rotated through the IPL season, with a focus of playing in front of the home crowd.
“He might not even play the full season but he will be there as a wicketkeeper, not sure as captain,” said Badrinath. “But he will definitely be as a keeper on the field. He said he will be on the field to play. It will not happen that Dhoni is off the field and leaves someone like Sanju Samson to keep wickets. He will take this decision and speak to Sanju Samson.”
This might be a small concern for Samson, who finds his spot in the Indian T20 team at risk and has already been supplanted by Jitesh Sharma in the series in Australia. Being an option with the gloves is a big part of his selection appeal, and for that reason, the Kerala player might want some chances behind the wickets if the move does materialize.
