Chennai Super Kings play their last home match of IPL 2026 in Chennai on Monday against Sunrisers Hyderabad. The five-time champions are in play-offs contention and have one more match left after this in the league stage. A whole season has passed but MS Dhoni has not yet traveled with the team to the stadium. A calf strain ruled him out of the first two weeks of IPL 2026; then he was reported to have injured his calf again. Post that, some reports claimed that he was fit but did not want to disturb the team combination.
A report in Indian Express has now claimed that Dhoni will travel with the team for the last home match but is unlikely to play the fixture. The report also said Dhoni injured his thumb, a fresh injury for the 44-year-old, during a training session. According to the publication, Dhoni injured his thumb before the match against Lucknow Super Giants (on May 15).
Former India spinner and a CSK veteran, Ravichandran Ashwinis hopeful that CSK’s Mahendra Singh Dhoni will feature in Monday’s IPL 2026 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Speaking on his YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat’, Ashwin said, “I have a feeling. A lot of people are coming on May 18. Many members of the commentary team are coming and doing commentary from the commentary box itself. So who knows whether he will play or not, but I am thinking he might come at least. Let’s see.”
The Ruturaj Gaikwad-led CSK will play their final home game of the season on Monday at Chepauk, and the speculations about Dhoni’s participation in the match have grown.
The 44-year-old Dhoni is yet to feature in IPL 2026 as he has been recovering from a calf strain. While the right-hand batter has been having net sessions, it is unclear when he will make a return to CSK’s playing 11 for the must-win game against SRH.
CSK are currently reeling in sixth place in the points table with 12 points and desperately need big wins in their remaining two league-stage matches to stay alive in the race for the playoffs.
The five-time champions are coming into the match after suffering a seven-wicket defeat against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their last game. After starting the season with three consecutive defeats, CSK managed to bounce back and are in contention for making it to the playoffs.
Ashwin believes Dhoni might replace the young all-rounder Prashant Veer in the playing XI and can come in as an impact player to provide power-hitting at the end.
“One option is that you can drop Prashant Veer and bring MS into the team, but he has to be an Impact Player. I don’t think MS Dhoni will play in the team; maybe he will be on the Impact List. Then, with the Impact Substitution rule, if they are chasing, he can be kept in the Impact List. Impact List, 70-30,” Ashwin concluded.
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