The former Indian and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain, MS Dhoni, has started his first practice session ahead of the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Ranchi, as the video went viral on social media platforms. He returns to the field, nearly two months before the start of the 19th edition of the 20-over franchise event.

The Jharkhand State Cricket Association shared the clip on their social media as the former wicket-keeper batter, MS Dhoni, was seen enjoying the session. He was also seen to be having a chat with the former JSCA honorary secretary, Saurab Tiwary, while gearing up for the nets session.

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The 44-year-old retired from all forms of cricket in 2020 across the three international formats, except for the IPL, where he continues to be part of the CSK franchise. There was a rumor in the 2023 season of the tournament that Dhoni was reported to be playing his last season, but he has extended his stay in the side for the next three seasons since that period.

MS Dhoni returns to CSK’s practice session in Ranchi

CSK is now under the leadership of Ruturaj Gaikwad, who took over the responsibility in the 2024 season of the tournament. Despite this, Dhoni remains the most important member of the side, as he returned to captain the team when Gaikwad was out of the side when the Maharashtra-born was ruled out due to an injury in 2025.

Watch the video here: 

THALA DHONI PRACTICE SESSION FOR IPL. 💥 [JSCA] pic.twitter.com/U78LtGnwlV

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 24, 2026

CSK and MS Dhoni will be without their long-time server and the premier left-arm spin all-rounder, Ravindra Jadeja, for the new 2026 season of the tournament, as the Saurashtra player has made his way to Rajasthan Royals (RR) in place of Sanju Samson, who is now expected to open the batting for the yellow franchise.

“I am a part of CSK, so I can’t imagine any other team winning the IPL trophy. But it was long-awaited. They (RCB) played really well. Big congratulations to them.” Dhoni said recently in an event while responding to the query of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) winning their maiden IPL in 2025.

MS Dhoni demonstrated his status as a respected cricket figure when he congratulated Royal Challengers Bengaluru for their first Indian Premier League title victory which occurred in 2025. The legendary Chennai Super Kings icon delivered his assessment of RCB's performance and dedication to their fans shortly before IPL 2026 began. 

Dhoni balances rivalry with respect and praise

At a recent brand event Dhoni spoke about RCB finally achieving their championship victory after 18 years of unsuccessful attempts. Dhoni maintained his competitive nature by stating that he wanted his team to win all tournaments because he belonged to CSK. Dhoni showed respect to RCB by presenting their achievement with honest acknowledgment of their accomplishment.

Dhoni expressed his gratitude toward RCB players. The RCB fans have shown excellent support to their team throughout their entire history. RCB fans maintain their team support during matches despite the teams facing difficult times. His remarks created a strong emotional response among fans of different teams especially RCB fans who remained loyal to the team through difficult times. The rival legend praised their dedication which showed their deep love for the game.

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From historic glory to home-ground uncertainty

The RCB team achieved their first title victory on June 3 2025 when they won the final match against Punjab Kings by six runs at Narendra Modi Stadium. Rajat Patidar led the team which demonstrated exceptional self-control during the entire season while achieving multiple breakthroughs of enduring obstacles.

The joyful atmosphere soon turned into a situation of uncertainty. The M Chinnaswamy Stadium has not held any events since a fatal stampede occurred during the victory parade. The RCB team needs permission from officials before they can play their home games which makes their fans worry about IPL 2026 upcoming matches. Dhoni used his statement to show that respect and sportsmanship serve as essential values which define the IPL beyond its competitive nature and match outcomes.

AB de Villiers has always held a special place in the world of cricket. He is respected across generations, admired by fans of rival teams, and valued by fellow players. The former South African captain earned the nickname “Mr. 360” for his ability to play shots to all parts of the ground. His career is known for amazing performances, smart batting, and an image built on humility and fair play.

However, during the ongoing SA20 league, de Villiers was caught in an unexpected off-field moment that quickly went viral. While watching the match between Pretoria Capitals and MI Cape Town from the stands, cameras showed him vaping alongside his wife. The clip was shown during the live broadcast and soon spread across social media, surprising many fans.

The incident happened in the eighth over when the camera turned towards the crowd. De Villiers was seen blowing out smoke and reaching for another puff before he realised he was on camera. His surprised reaction and quick move to avoid attention made the moment even bigger, leading to a wide discussion among cricket fans.

Watch the video here:

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A post shared by Zeeko Alexander (@zeekoalex)

Ab de villiers vaping 🤣👌🏻#Abdivilliers #SA20League #MICTvsPC pic.twitter.com/XVJTqAFiEy

— the velvet revival (@willieedynamite) January 12, 2026

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Cricket’s off-field surprises aren’t new

Cricket has seen such moments before. Even MS Dhoni, known as Captain Cool, was once seen smoking a hookah in Dubai. Former New Zealand batter and current England coach Brendon McCullum also faced attention for a smoking incident during a match. These moments show that cricketers also have off-field actions that often draw public interest.

Pretoria Capitals dominate on the field

While the vaping clip ruled social media, the match itself delivered strong on-field action. Batting first, Pretoria Capitals recovered well after early losses. Dewald Brevis gave quick momentum with a 19-ball 34, while Sherfane Rutherford played a key role with a powerful 53 off 27 balls. Their efforts helped the team post a competitive total of 185.

The bowlers then stepped up, led by Gideon Peters, who picked up three wickets for 32 runs. With good support from the rest of the attack, Pretoria Capitals bowled out MI Cape Town for 132 and secured a convincing 53-run win.

Although Pretoria’s strong performance sealed the result, it was AB de Villiers’ unexpected viral moment that grabbed the most attention. The incident ensured this SA20 clash will be remembered well beyond the final ball.

Cricket fans got to see a rare sight of former India captain MS Dhoni as AP Dhillon shared photos and videos from his official Instagram account. Dhoni and Dhillon had a lot of fun at Salman Khan's Panvel farmhouse. MS Dhoni was on the all-terrain vehicle which was running wild on the muddy road.

Mud was coming out from the wheels; Dhoni and others on it were covered in mud from head to toe. Dhoni, Dhillion and Khan were smiling all around the vast field, presenting an unexpected crossover between a cricket legend, a Bollywood superstar and a famous musician. AP Dhillion shared a video with these two celebrities days after his controversial concert with Tara Sutaria, which took the internet by storm.

Dhoni was one of the special guests during Salman Khan's 60th birthday. From the birthday party, multiple photos and videos of Dhoni and Khan together went viral on social media platforms. A controversial video of the former cricketer also surfaced on the internet as a cigarette packet was spotted in his car, in which he and his family arrived at Khan's place. From Dhillon's latest social media post, it seems that Khan, Dhillon and Dhoni may have tied a strong bond between themselves.

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Watch the video AP Dhillion shared on social media platfrom

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A post shared by AP DHILLON (@apdhillon)

While the former cricketer was enjoying off-the-field moments, his fans have been discussing the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026), where MS Dhoni, 44, is set to feature for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). It is speculated that IPL 2026 can be his last ever IPL season as a cricketer. In a recent conversation, Dhoni tried to explain why he came to bat late for CSK. He compared cricket with a full-course meal to describe batting position.

"Right now, I’m the dessert, while others are the starter and the main course. My role is to come in later and finish strong. If you make the dessert your main course, you might get diabetes! Cricket, like a meal, needs timing; play your part at the right moment, and the result will be sweet," MS Dhoni said.

MS Dhoni is not only a legendary figure of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) but also a cornerstone of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The former India skipper, who was known for his match-finishing abilities, attracted a lot of criticism regarding his batting positions during the last couple of IPL seasons.

During his days as an active international cricketer, he used to bat at number 7, but in the last couple of IPL seasons. Especially during the IPL 2025 campaign, the keeper-batter came to bat after his usual batting position, which annoyed many cricket fans. During a recent event, Dhoni explains why he came late to bat in the IPL. The legendary cricketer compared the game with a full-course meal, and his batting position as the dessert. Through the comparison, he tried to highlight the importance of timing in cricket.

"Right now, I’m the dessert, while others are the starter and the main course. My role is to come in later and finish strong. If you make the dessert your main course, you might get diabetes! Cricket, like a meal, needs timing; play your part at the right moment, and the result will be sweet," MS Dhoni said.

Read More: Legendary batter confirms retirement ahead of T20 World Cup 2026

MS Dhoni explains his late batting positon in IPL for CSK

From these comments, it is now assumed that in the upcoming IPL season (IPL 2026), he could maintain the tendency to come to bat from a deeper position. In IPL 2025, Dhoni, 44, batted in 13 innings to score only 196 runs in total at an average of 24.50 with a best score of 30 not out.

The previous season was a huge setback for the 5-time IPL-winning team, as they finished in the bottommost position in the points table. In 14 games, CSK managed to win only 4 and lost on 10 occasions, mostly because of a series of poor batting performances.

Ramandeep Singh is one of the most prominent names in the limited-overs matches across the globe. He once asked MS Dhoni about match finishing. In reply to what Dhoni said, Singh reveals in a recent conversation.

Ramandeep said that Dhoni told him that he likes to stretch the matches to the final overs, where the pressure is the most. The pressure is on the bowler as well as the batter. It becomes a war of nerves between the batter and the bowler. It was the perfect moment when Dhoni's cool, calm mentality used to be at its peak. During the penultimate moment, there were mainly two persons who could decide the result of the match: either the batter or the bowler. From this tense situation, Dhoni used to pull out his best.

"When I asked him about finishing games, he told me that he often stretches the match till the last over because that’s where it becomes a pure 1v1, the batsman versus the bowler. Till then, it’s team vs team. In the final over, it’s just you and the bowler. Hearing that from MS Dhoni was really cool and special," Ramandeep Singh said.

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Ramandeep SIngh reveals MS Dhoni's mentality about match finishing

Singh recently featured for the Punjab cricket team in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 (VHT 2025-26), where he played some crucial innings with the bat. During the Mumbai vs Punjab match, Singh was one of the main reasons for which Punjab won the match over Mumbai for only 1 run.

In that match, Ramandeep scored 72 runs on a tough track against a star-studded Mumbai bowling line-up. Unlike a fast-paced innings, the middle-order batter relied on his resilience to secure a respectable total for the team, which was 216. Mumbai, in reply, got 215 against all 10 wickets. In his 72-run innings, Singh smashed three 6s and five 4s.

Ahead of the IPL 2026, an old video is resurfacing on the social media platform 'X.' The video was shared by Delhi Capitals (DC) on August 22, 2019. The video captured a rare moment when MS Dhoni and Shreyas Iyer were engaging in a table tennis match together. 

Back in 2019, Shreyas Iyer was playing for DC, and Dhoni was with Chennai Super Kings (CSK). In the IPL 2019 season, the Mumbai Indians won the league, defeating CSK in a thriller by only 1 run. DC was another strong contender in the title race, under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer. Iyer and his boys reached the play-offs only to be knocked out by Dhoni's CSK. For the 59th match of the tournament, DC faced CSK. A 50-run innings by Faf du Plessis helped Chennai to win the match by 6 wickets. 

Now. Indian cricket fans are eagerly waiting for the IPL 2026, where Iyer will be featured for Punjab Kings (PBKS) as their captain for the second straight season. Last season, in IPL 2025, PBKS faced Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the summit clash. RCB claimed their maiden title by defeating Punjab. 

Read More: Watch: All 4s and 6s Shreyas Iyer hit in 82-run knock for Mumbai in VHT 2025-26 match

Watch the table tennis match between MS Dhoni and Shreyas Iyer 

#ThrowbackThursday

Can't get better than Shreyas and Mahi Bhai playing a round of Table Tennis before fighting it out on the field! 🤩🤩

Raise your 🙌 if you remember this match-up from #IPL2019! 😎#ThisIsNewDelhi #DelhiCapitals @msdhoni pic.twitter.com/dMqFRiKSKo

— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) August 22, 2019

After the IPL 2026 mini auction, PBKS, on paper, is looking strong enough for a title shot. After a promising season, they hold most of their key players. On the other side, CSK spent heavily to reinforce their team. MS Dhoni, 44, is all set to play another IPL season for the Super Kings. There are speculations that the IPL 2026 could be his last IPL season as a cricketer. 

Fans will be curious to see the matches between CSK and PBKS. Both of the teams have multiple underrated cricketers who can make differences in matches. Iyer, who has evolved into a resounding captain, will do their best to lift the trophy again.

Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh explains why Chennai Super Kings (CSK) never felt pressure when MS Dhoni was in charge of the team. During his prime, Dhoni, who won 5 IPL titles as CSK captain, was one of the most dominating forces in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Singh played multiple IPL seasons in the CSK jersey and under MS Dhoni's leadership.

During a recent podcast, Singh tried to explain the importance of MS Dhoni's presence in the CSK dressing room. The former spinner said that Dhoni had a very clear vision and knew how to guide the team to a victory. That mindset helped the team to shape in a way as well.

As the captain used to remain calm and collected, players also used to maintain their mindset no matter what the result of a match was. Without relying on star power, Dhoni tried to base the team on pure bonding. 

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"Dhoni is clear in his thinking and exceptional at winning games, and that mindset reflects on the entire team. He builds a system where the dressing room matters most, with no big or small players, only contribution to the team." Harbhajan Singh explains how Dhoni influenced the atmosphere of Chennai Super Kings. 

Harbhajan Singh explains how MS Dhoni shaped CSK

"Win or lose, the atmosphere stays the same. Learn, move forward, and keep growing. That’s what makes his team special." 

Before joining Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2021, Harbhajan Singh played a crucial role during the IPL 2018 and IPL 2019 seasons. He was exceptionally well in the 2019 season with 16 wickets in 11 matches, maintaining an economy rate of 7.09. Singh was fortunate to lift the IPL trophy with CSK in 2018 when he got 7 scalps in 13 games. 

MS Dhoni may have retired from international cricket, but the former India captain remains closely linked to the game. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) runs a long-standing welfare scheme that provides monthly pensions to retired players to support them after their playing careers.

Under this scheme, Dhoni, who led India to their historic 2011 World Cup win, receives a monthly pension of ₹70,000 from the BCCI. The initiative ensures financial security for former cricketers who have served Indian cricket at the highest level.

The former wicketkeeper-batter played 90 Tests, 350 One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and 98 T20 Internationals for India. Based on his Test appearances, Dhoni falls into the top pension bracket, where the amount was revised from ₹50,000 to ₹70,000 per month.

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Other Cricketers Receiving BCCI Pension

Several other Indian cricket legends also receive a monthly pension of ₹70,000 from the BCCI. This list includes Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, and Rahul Dravid. Former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh receives ₹60,000 per month, while Vinod Kambli is paid ₹30,000 per month as financial support.

Dhoni’s Life Beyond Cricket

Apart from cricket, MS Dhoni has built a strong business and endorsement portfolio over the years. His estimated net worth is more than ₹1,200 crore. From brand endorsements to smart investments and even organic farming, the former India captain remains one of the most well-known sports personalities in the country, even after retiring from international cricket.

The captain of the Johannesburg Super Kings (JSK) from the 2025/26 season of the SA20, Faf du Plessis, recalls the former World Cup captain, MS Dhoni, and the latter’s run-out from behind the wickets during the T20 World Cup 2016 against Bangladesh when he rushed to the stumps after the batter missed the short ball from Hardik Pandya.

During the 2025/26 season of the SA20, Donovan Ferreira ran Eathan Bosch off the final delivery of regulation to ensure that the scores would remain the same. Du Plessis, who anticipated a catch-out dismissal, didn’t hope for a run-out on the final ball.

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“I remember there was a game a long time ago, when MS Dhoni was standing behind the stumps for India. I think it was against Bangladesh in a World Cup, and I remember the guy bowling almost like a cut ball across him. So, I just told him (Mulder), just go short, across him, and hopefully we get a wicket. I wasn’t banking on a run out. So, we are bowling for run outs now.” Du Plessis expressed in the post-match presentation.

Faf du Plessis remembers MS Dhoni’s run-out from T20 World Cup 2016

Johannesburg posted 205/4 in their allotted 20 overs of the first innings as Shubham Ranjane nailed an unbeaten knock of 50 runs in 31 balls at a strike rate of 161.29 with the help of four boundaries and a couple of sixes. Donovan Ferreira clubbed an undefeated 33 runs in just 10 balls, thanks to four sixes and one boundary.

Watch the video here: 

The most relevant cricketer! @msdhoni https://t.co/tA7SYZSyj6 pic.twitter.com/tNjYGygupu

— ` (@WorshipDhoni) January 2, 2026

“We're doing some good things. And I think the nice thing is we feel like we're still getting to play better as a team. We're doing things slowly, better. We're certainly not the finished article. So, tonight it's nice to squeak your bum over the line and get two points.” The former South Africa captain addressed.

Durban was restricted to 205/8 with Evan Jones playing a fantastic knock of 43 runs in just 17 balls at a strike rate of 252.94, scoring four boundaries and three sixes. However, JSK completed a successful win in the super-over.

Brief Scores: JSK 205/4 (Shubham Ranjane 50*, Faf du Plessis 47, Noor Ahmed 3/12) beat DSG 205/8 (Evan Jones 43, Aiden Markram 37, Richard Gleeson 3/41) in the super-over.