Overview

• Chopra highlighted that a full-time head coach position requires about 10 months of commitment each year, compared with the two-month IPL coaching stints most former players undertake.
• Dhoni has not retired and remains an active player for Chennai Super Kings, who finished last in IPL 2025 for the first time under his stand-in captaincy.
• Chennai Super Kings now face a substantial squad rebuild ahead of IPL 2026, a project in which Dhoni is expected to remain deeply involved.
• Renewed discussion about Dhoni’s potential appointment was driven by mixed results under current India coach Gautam Gambhir.
• Neither Dhoni nor the BCCI has issued any signal of an impending transition to the national head coach role.