MS Dhoni to Become Team India’s Mentor Ahead of T20 World Cup 2026? Ex-India Cricketer Chimes In

Manoj Tiwary also added that a potential collab between Gautam Gambhir and MS Dhoni would be worth watching, ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

MS Dhoni to Become Team India’s Mentor Ahead of T20 World Cup 2026? Ex-India Cricketer Chimes In

Manoj Tiwary shared his doubts about MS Dhoni's availability, amid India mentorship rumors. (via Crictracker)

Former cricketer-turned politician Manoj Tiwary, upon hearing that MS Dhoni has reportedly been offered a Team India mentorship role, shared his doubts about ex-India captain’s availability. He however, backed a potential Dhoni-Gautam Gambhir collaboration, at the 2026 T20 World Cup. 

At 44 years old, MS Dhoni‘s only remaining playing commitment is the IPL. While reports speculate that he might not return to play for the 2026 season, the veteran Indian star is still going strong. During the 2025 season, Dhoni in fact, became the oldest player to captain an IPL side, when he was forced to take over the role at Chennai Super Kings at the age of 43, following Ruturaj Gaikwad’s season-ending injury. 

Dhoni has long retired from playing international cricket, and it is being speculated for months now that the ageing superstar might take up a coaching role, after calling time on his playing career altogether. As India’s most successful captain, having led the team to three ICC titles, he has a wealth of experience in nurturing young talent, and many consider him to be perfect for a major non-playing role.

Most recently, sources close to the BCCI also confirmed that MS Dhoni has been offered a mentorship position with the Indian team, for the upcoming 2026 T20 World Cup. Former Bengal captain, Manoj Tiwary, shared his opinion on the reports linking MS Dhoni and the Indian cricket team. Speaking to reporters, the 39-year-old expressed his reservations about Dhoni accepting such a mentorship position:

Did he [MS Dhoni] pick up the phone [from BCCI]? Because it is difficult to reach him on the phone. Replies to messages from him are also very rare; many players have said this.

Manoj Tiwary took a subtle dig at the 44-year-old by asking whether he would even pick up the BCCI’s call, while suggesting that it is very difficult to reach out to him. Despite this, the former KKR star did back a potential collaboration between MS Dhoni and current head coach Gautam Gambhir, should the former accept the mentorship position. He further stated that with many new, young players joining the team, Dhoni’s experience and influence would be a valuable asset.

His [MS Dhoni] experience as a captain and as a player will be very useful, as the new players emerging today give him a lot of respect. The pairing of MS Dhoni and Gautam Gambhir will also be worth watching.

Gambhir and Dhoni’s partnership could be a notable one, with the duo having last collaborated during India’s historic 2011 World Cup final triumph. However, Dhoni’s most recent mentorship stint with Team India during the 2021 T20 World Cup was unsuccessful, as the team even failed to make it to the knockout stage.

Suresh Raina Backs Hardik Pandya Over Shubman Gill for ODI Captaincy, Sees ‘Glimpse of MS Dhoni’ in Him

Ex-India all-rounder Suresh Raina made a surprising pick for India’s next ODI captain, following Rohit Sharma’s retirement. While newly-appointed Test captain Shubman Gill is widely considered the top contender to succeed Sharma, Raina believes Hardik Pandya should be handed the role.

Suresh Raina on Hardik Pandya MS Dhoni
Suresh Raina claimed that Hardik Pandya has a ‘glimpse of MS Dhoni’ in him, backed him for India ODI captaincy. (via Mint)

Hardik Pandya was once considered for a future captaincy role in ODIs and T20Is by the BCCI. However, the selectors instead went with Suryakumar Yadav as the new T20I captain, while Gill is now being groomed for the role, seemingly leaving Pandya completely out of the running. Despite this, the 31-year-old most recently, received backing for a leadership role from retired Indian star Suresh Raina.

Rains surprisingly drew parallels between Pandya, Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni, noting that the MI captain can produce a lot of miracles in white-ball cricket. Raina praised Pandya’s all-around abilities, comparing his skills to those of Kapil Dev. He stated that he sees a ‘glimpse of Dhoni’ in Pandya, comparing their energy on the field and expressing his hope that he will return to a captaincy role. Raina told Shubhankar Mishra:

I see him [Hardik Pandya] as a glimpse of MS Dhoni in him, the way he interact and conduct on the ground, the energy, I like the most.

Hardik Pandya’s cricketing career has been no less than that of an elite all-rounder, having played 11 Tests, 94 ODIs and 114 T20Is. He has scored over 4,200 runs across all formats at an average close to 30, hitting one century and 20 half-centuries, and scalped over 200 wickets. 

Also Read: Gautam Gambhir’s Big Promise to Abhimanyu Easwaran Revealed!