MS Dhoni still on-field captain of CSK; Ruturaj Gaikwad just on paper: Mohammad Kaif

On Saturday, November 15, the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises confirmed their respective lists of retained and released players. While some trade talks were over the moon, including Sanju Samson’s

move to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in swap deal with Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran, the franchise also revealed some surprising releases, one of them being Matheesha Pathirana.

Although, the five-time champions will look to reassemble before the IPL 2026 season, setting their eyes on record sixth title after a forgettable season in IPL 2025. With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirming December 16 as the mini-auction date, the Yellow Army will look to complete the voids in what could be MS Dhoni’s last season.

On paper, Gaikwad may be the captain, but MS Dhoni actually is: Md Kaif

With reports hitting the roof of MS Dhoni playing his final years in IPL, former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif also dropped a big statement around his future. While talking about his role, Kaif also revealed that Ruturaj Gaikwad only remains a captain on paper for CSK, but it’s actually the veteran wicketkeeper-batter who runs the show.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif emphasised that Dhoni’s role goes far beyond that of a mere impact substitute. "Dhoni does not bat anyway. He is playing to keep 20 overs and to captain 20 overs. He is playing to guide the players. He is there to guide Gaikwad. He is playing only for this, as a mentor and captain," he said. "On paper, Gaikwad may be the captain, but till Dhoni is on the field, things are in his hands. There is no doubt about what he does. So I do not think he will play as an impact player. Either he will rule himself out, but no chance of him being an impact player," he added.

List of retained and released players for Chennai Super Kings ahead of IPL 2026 auction

Released Players: Rahul Tripathi, Vansh Bedi, C. Andre Siddarth, Ravindra Jadeja (Trade Out), Rachin Ravindra, Sam Curran (Trade out), Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar, Shaik Rasheed, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Matheesha Pathirana, Devon Conway

Chennai Super Kings IPL 2026 squad:

Batters: Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brevis

Wicket-keepers: MS Dhoni, Urvil Patel, Sanju Samson (Trade in)

All-Rounders: Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Ramakrishna Ghosh

Bowlers: Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh, Nathan Ellis, Shreyas Gopal, Mukesh Choudhary.