BCCI Offers Mentor Role to MS Dhoni Ahead of T20 World Cup 2026
BCCI has approached MS Dhoni to return as Team India’s mentor for the T20 World Cup 2026. Will the legend join forces with Gautam Gambhir to guide India’s title defence?
India will defend their T20 World Cup crown in less than five months, and the BCCI has reportedly approached MS Dhoni to return as the team’s mentor.
The former India captain previously took up the role during the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE, when Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri were captain and head coach. However, India endured a disappointing campaign, failing to reach the knockouts and losing to Pakistan for the first time in World Cup history.
According to CricBlogger, a senior BCCI source confirmed the development.
“Dhoni is once more offered to guide Indian cricket,” the source said. The board believes Dhoni’s sharp cricketing brain, calm leadership, and big-match experience could prove invaluable in shaping India’s title defence.
However, the decision isn’t straightforward. Insiders suggest Dhoni may be hesitant due to the presence of Gautam Gambhir as head coach. While the two stalwarts respect each other, differences in approach from their playing days may resurface if they work together in the same setup.
Despite India’s early exit in 2021, several players had praised Dhoni for his valuable guidance during his short stint. With India’s squad likely to feature multiple youngsters this time, his presence could provide much-needed balance and confidence.
For now, it remains to be seen whether Dhoni accepts the offer and joins forces with Gambhir for India’s title defence.
Meanwhile, India’s immediate focus is on the Asia Cup starting September 9 in the UAE. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, the defending champions begin their campaign on September 10 against the hosts at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
