Former Indian spinner and commentator Ravi Ashwin has reckoned that without match practice, there is no way for MS Dhoni to play in the forthcoming IPL 2027 season. Notably, Dhoni missed the entirety of the IPL 2026 season due to a calf injury.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin added that none of us can question Dhoni’s participation in the tournament if he decides to do so, adding that he needs to put miles on his legs.
“Just on outlook, without match practice, there is no way for him to play in a tournament like the IPL. That will just be pushing the barriers way too much. If he decides to play, none of us can question it,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
“But if he wants to continue as a player in the IPL, he has to play matches elsewhere to put miles on his legs. If he can do these things and be extremely motivated, it has to be applauded. But if this is not the case, there is nothing going forward for him as a player,” he added.
Further, Ashwin asserted that Dhoni has earned the right to decide whether to continue playing for the Chennai–based outfit in the IPL 2027 season. He went on to add that his fitness regime of late is unknown.
“It is hard for a player who has performed at such a high level for so long to be seen as a player performing at a lower level. No one has the right to decide if Dhoni should play at 46 or not. Only he has to decide that. But from the outside, I have several questions about it,” said Ashwin.
“We do not know what kind of effort he is putting in behind closed doors. We also don’t know how much he practices and goes to the gym, or how much fire he still has to perform. Even with his knee and calf injuries, the work he has put in to regain fitness is unknown,” he concluded.
