The wait isn’t over yet. MS Dhoni is unlikely to feature in the much-anticipated Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings clash at the Wankhede Stadium, with his comeback from a calf injury taking longer than expected. The 44-year-old hasn’t played a single game in IPL 2026 so far, and despite multiple net sessions, he still doesn’t look fully match-ready.
For CSK, the wait for Thala continues. This is another blow in what has already been a patchy campaign. They’ve managed just two wins in six games and are hanging around the lower half of the table. And while the team has tried to move on, the Dhoni question hasn’t really gone away. They lack real experience in the batting order, and Dhoni can’t do much by being off the field.
MS Dhoni not to rush himself
According to RevSportz, Dhoni is now more likely to return against Gujarat Titans rather than the MI game. The report suggests that while he has been practising, he is still not completely comfortable to play a full match yet.
MS Dhoni has been around the squad, training regularly. In Mumbai, he had a proper go in the nets, kept wickets for a bit, and faced both quicks and throwdowns. He was seen giving wicket-keeping tips to INR 14.20 uncapped buy Kartik Sharma as well. The jolly mood in the training and some clean striking led everyone to believe that Dhoni will play in IPL’s El Clasico. On Wednesday, he had a shorter stint, took a break, and then came back again for a longer session.
But training and match readiness are two different things. CSK won’t rush him. Or, we should say, the man won’t himself. The matter isn’t in CSK’s management’s hands. “A decision on him will be taken tomorrow by him and the medical staff, if he is absolutely ready to go,” CSK bowling coach Eric Simons said on the eve of the MI vs CSK match.
Dhoni hasn’t been used as an Impact Player even once since the rule came in, and at this stage of the season, CSK could have explored that option. But the franchise has stuck to its usual way of handling things when it comes to him.
Predicted CSK Playing XII vs MI
- Sanju Samson
- Ruturaj Gaikwad (c)
- Urvil Patel
- Sarfaraz Khan
- Shivam Dube
- Dewald Brevis ✈️
- Jamie Overton ✈️
- Prashant Veer/Ramakrishna Ghosh
- Anshul Kamboj
- Noor Ahmad ✈️
- Spencer Johnson ✈️
- Gurjapneet Singh
At 44, recovering from a calf injury isn’t easy. Dhoni batted for only 11 balls per innings on average last season, mostly as a finisher. But even that job requires quick reactions, sharp running, and clean hitting under pressure.
Cricket
MS Dhoni set to miss MI vs CSK clash as Thala's comeback pushed further
