The IPL 2026 is nearing its business end. Eight teams are vying for four playoff spots. Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Gujarat Titans are currently the top three teams with 14 points from 11 matches. Punjab Kings are fourth-placed with 13 points from 11 games. In terms of players, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has generated conversations with a solid show. For Rajasthan Royals, he has slammed two 15-ball half-centuries. He also slammed a 36-ball ton, making him the first player in IPL to score two tons in less than 40 balls.
However, surprisingly, he is not among the five most talked about players in IPL 2026. IPL’s official broadcasters Star Sports released a list of “Top 5 most talked about players in India during Tata IPL 2026” from March 28 to May 12. The list is topped by Virat Kohli (44 per cent), followed by MS Dhoni (21%), Rohit Sharma (18 per cent), Sanju Samson (10%), and KL Rahul (8%). Interestingly, Dhoni is yet to play a match in IPL 2026.
The list shows that the craze for the veteran stars is showing no signs of diminishing.
From record-breaking knocks to viral moments, these stars kept fans talking all season long
Presenting the Top 5 most talked about players in India during #TATAIPL 2026
P.S. Distillery is the central analytics arm of Star Sports, tracking social conversations from… pic.twitter.com/kUU0gaWx8x
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) May 12, 2026
Six years after retiring from international cricket, Mahendra Singh Dhoni continues to command unmatched fandom, with actor and ETPL co-founder Abhishek Bachchan saying he would love to see the former India captain feature in the new European T20 Premier League.
“Mahendra Singh Dhoni,” Bachchan replied instantly when asked which Indian cricketer he would most like to see in the ETPL and why.
“Do you need a reason why you want to see Mahendra Singh Dhoni in cricket?” he told PTI from Dublin.
Dhoni, who retired from international cricket in 2020, remains part of the Chennai Super Kings squad but has not played this season due to a calf injury sustained before the tournament.
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