Why Is MS Dhoni Hated? 5 Real Reasons Some Fans Criticise Him

MS Dhoni, "Captain Cool", is one of the most loved cricketers India has produced. He is the only captain to win all three major ICC white-ball trophies, he won five IPL titles with Chennai Super Kings, and his calm finishing made him a hero for a generation. So why do some fans dislike him, or even say they "hate" him?

Quick answer: most of the criticism comes from five places: claims that he backed "his" players (often CSK players) for India, captaincy calls that went wrong, slower batting late in his career, the way and timing of his retirement, and his decision to keep playing the IPL for years after leaving international cricket. Very little of it questions what he achieved.

1. Claims that he favoured certain players

The most common complaint is favouritism. Critics say that as captain Dhoni backed players he trusted, several of them CSK team-mates, while others waited for chances.

It helps to be clear about how India's team is picked. The BCCI's national selection committee chooses the squad. The captain is consulted and his view carries weight, especially on the playing XI, but he does not pick the team on his own. So when fans say "Dhoni picked his favourites", they really mean his opinion was trusted more than they liked.

Some decisions still left a bad taste:

• The 2012 rotation in Australia. During the tri-series, India rotated Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, and Dhoni linked it partly to fielding. Many fans felt three of India's greatest batters were treated unfairly.

• Senior players fading out. Several stars of the 2007 and 2011 wins drifted out of the side during Dhoni's time as captain. Yuvraj Singh's father, Yograj Singh, has blamed Dhoni in interviews for his son's career ending. These are one family's claims, not established fact, and Dhoni has not engaged with them publicly.

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2. Captaincy calls that backfired

Dhoni's captaincy is respected for its calm and its hunches, such as giving Joginder Sharma the last over of the 2007 T20 World Cup final. But hunches that do not work get remembered too: batting-order changes, bowling choices in close finishes, and his loyalty to out-of-form players.

He was also criticised for India's Test results away from home, including the 4-0 losses in England (2011) and Australia (2011-12). He gave up the Test captaincy and retired from Tests in December 2014, in the middle of a series in Australia.

3. His batting slowed down late in his career

In his prime, Dhoni was the most feared finisher in ODI cricket. In his last few international years, his strike rate dropped, and he often took time to get going before trying to win it at the end.

The best-known example is the 2019 World Cup match against England at Edgbaston. Chasing 338, India lost by 31 runs, and Dhoni's unbeaten 42 off 31 balls, with few big shots at the end, was widely criticised. In the semi-final against New Zealand he made 50 and was run out by Martin Guptill's direct hit, and India lost by 18 runs.

Supporters argue that he was batting to the situation and protecting a weak lower order. Critics felt he left too much for the last overs. Both views are fair.

4. The timing and manner of his retirement

This is where a lot of confusion exists online, so the facts first:

• His last international match was that 2019 World Cup semi-final, on 10 July 2019 in Manchester.

• He announced his retirement from international cricket on 15 August 2020, in a short Instagram post, more than a year later.

• He had already retired from Tests in December 2014 and stepped down as India's limited-overs captain in January 2017.

For more than a year after the semi-final, fans did not know whether he would play again, and his place in the team was debated constantly. Some felt he should have said clearly that he was done. Others felt he should have had a farewell match. The quiet Instagram goodbye pleased neither group.

5. Playing the IPL long after leaving India

After retiring from India duty, Dhoni kept playing for CSK and won his fourth and fifth IPL titles in 2021 and 2023. Since then, the debate has been about whether he is staying too long:

• In IPL 2024, he handed the captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad before the season.

• Before IPL 2025, CSK retained him for ₹4 crore as an uncapped player under the reinstated rule for players retired from international cricket for five years. He took over as captain again in April 2025 after Gaikwad injured his elbow, but CSK finished last for the first time. He often batted very low in the order, and that drew a lot of criticism.

• In IPL 2026, Dhoni did not play a single match because of injuries. CSK, led by Gaikwad, finished eighth and missed the playoffs again.

As of 5 November 2026, Dhoni (now 45) has said he will take medical tests and decide "before December" whether he is fit for one more season. IPL teams must submit their retention lists by 17 November 2026, ahead of the IPL 2027 auction in Goa on 16 December, so his IPL future is not confirmed yet.

To critics, a player who missed a whole season holding a squad place is proof that CSK cannot move on. To his fans, Dhoni has earned the right to decide when he leaves. You can see how CSK lines up now in our CSK playing XI and squad guide.

Fan wars make it louder

A lot of the "hate" is not really about Dhoni. Indian cricket fandom is split into camps, and Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma fans argue endlessly online. A comment from a former player, such as Gautam Gambhir's repeated point that the 2011 World Cup was won by the whole team and not "one six", is then turned into a fight. Kohli faces the same treatment from rival fans, as our piece on why some people hate Virat Kohli shows.

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His record still speaks for itself

Whatever people think of his choices, Dhoni's record is not in question:

• 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy as India captain.

• India reached No. 1 in the Test rankings for the first time under him in 2009.

• Five IPL titles (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023) and two Champions League T20 titles with CSK.

That is why he is so often ranked as the best leader the IPL has had; see our list of the best IPL captains of all time.

The verdict

Dhoni is not "hated" by most fans; he is criticised by some. The criticism is mostly about choices: who he trusted, how he batted near the end, how he left international cricket, and how long he has stayed in the IPL. Those are fair debates. Ignoring his trophies, or blaming him for selection decisions that belonged to the selectors, is not.

Frequently asked questions

Why do some people hate MS Dhoni?

Mainly because of claims he favoured certain players, captaincy calls that failed, his slower batting late in his career, the long silence before his retirement and his long IPL career. Most of it is fan criticism of his choices, not of his record.

When did MS Dhoni retire from international cricket?

He announced his retirement on 15 August 2020. His last international match was the 2019 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand on 10 July 2019. He had retired from Tests in December 2014.

Did Dhoni choose the Indian team himself?

No. India's squads are picked by the BCCI's selection committee. As captain, Dhoni was consulted and had a big say in the playing XI, but he did not select the team alone.

Will Dhoni play IPL 2027?

It is not confirmed. He missed all of IPL 2026 through injury and said in October 2026 that he would decide before December, after medical tests. Teams must submit retentions by 17 November 2026.

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