India, May 22 -- If MS Dhoni didn't play in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) on purpose, it was probably the best decision of his cricketing life yet. Having said that, he should have done it a couple of seasons ago.

On Thursday, Chennai Super Kings played their last match of the season, and a crushing 89-run defeat by Gujarat Titans meant whatever little hopes they may have had in regard to the play-offs went up in smoke right there.

No one can say for sure that if Dhoni had been fit and played and Ruturaj Gaikwad had his guidance, CSK, who finished last in 2025, would have qualified for the play-offs.

No matter how much a player tries, if they don't or can't do their primary jobs properly, everything else doesn't matter.

In the ...