A day in the life of MS Dhoni: India’s IPL hero talks on his day-to-day routine when not playing

MS Dhoni doesn’t play much cricket these days. Instead he keeps himself busy with endorsements and other promotional activities besides playing two and half months of Indian Premier League (IPL) for Chennai Super Kings. From giving more time to his daughter Ziva and wife Sakshi to playing with his pets and staying away from public attention, Dhoni leads a simple life unlike most of the Indian cricketing stalwarts.

At a time when most of the people’s lives revolve around social media, Dhoni’s policy of staying away from it also intrigues his fans about how their idol spends a day. Recently, in a promotional interview, Dhoni spilled the beans about his day-to-day routine.

“The schedule is slightly different and it depends on where I am. If I am doing an endorsement in Mumbai, what dictates is at what time they are calling me on the set. According to that I set up,” said the two-time World Cup-winning ex-Indian captain.

But when he is home, Dhoni makes sure he is training every day. “When I am in Ranchi, the schedule is quite fixed in that sense. I will get up slightly late, have my breakfast, go to the stadium and do my gym or whatever I want to do. Then come back, spend some time with my family, play with the pets.

“In the evening, if I feel like, I will again go to the stadium and play tennis or badminton. In between, we have a farming area, so on and off I go over there. It’s quite regimented,” added the former CSK captain.

Farming has been one of Dhoni’s favourite pastimes post international retirement. In fact, his Instagram reel of riding a tractor in his Ranchi went viral on social media last year. The former skipper emphasised farming is fun but tough too.

“Whenever I go farming, I have to take lessons in a tractor and especially with all the accessories about how to move because if you are not regular you tend to forget. Once you know how it is done, then they just orient you whenever you go back. It’s tough though. Sometimes I have bitten more than I chew. Farming is fun,” he added.

Will MS Dhoni play in IPL 2025?

With less than a couple of days remaining for the IPL 2025 retention day, there has been a lot of speculation on Dhoni’s participation in the upcoming season. The 43-year-old kept his doors open of playing in IPL 2025, but didn’t commit anything.

“I just want to enjoy whatever last few years of cricket I’m able to play,” Dhoni was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. “Like how during our childhood we used to go out and play at 4 pm, just enjoying the game. But with professional sport, it becomes difficult to enjoy the game just as a game. So what I want to do is to balance emotions and commitments and enjoy the game for the next few years.”