MS Dhoni finally arrived at the Chepauk during an IPL 2026 match. Throughout the season, calf strains forced the former Chennai Super Kings captain to sit out. Then, there were reports that Dhoni himself was sitting out of the matches as he did not want to disturb the team combination with CSK in the playoffs race. Ahead of CSK’s last IPL 2026 home match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, came the news that Dhoni had injured his thumb.
CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad confirmed at the toss that Dhoni “is here” but added that he is not fit. However, the excitement over getting a glimpse of Dhoni was palpable. In fact, photos of him in the CSK dressing room went viral. In the mid-innings, Dhoni joined CSK players for a group photo.
I think Dhoni has appointed a guy to stand in front and hide him whenever the camera pans towards him pic.twitter.com/aNnHWKbvC5
— Achhu (@Achhyuthaa) May 18, 2026
MS Dhoni having a smile with team-mates pic.twitter.com/af8gA0DsQb
—Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) May 18, 2026
CSK POST 181/6 IN A MASSIVE GAME
CSK finish on 181/6 from 20 overs – Crunch time at Chepauk with playoff pressure at its peak
SRH need 182 to seal a playoff
MS Dhoni on the field, Chepauk still chanting for Thala #CSKvSRH #IPL2026 #TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/be2F9k8oSP— Yogesh Goswami (@yogeshgoswami_) May 18, 2026
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) won the toss and elected to bat first against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Match 63 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Monday. CSK have made one change to their playing XI as Akeal Hosein is back, while MS Dhoni is still missing the match due to injury.
After winning the toss, CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad said, “We are looking to bat first. Well, it’s nothing complicated, it’s just simple for us. Take it one game at a time, look to win this one, look to start well, look to assess the conditions well, and put your best foot forward.
“Well, nothing, not as such, it’s just that we have to respect conditions and choose what’s best for the conditions. And yes, I think batting first looks good here now,” he said.
While after losing the toss, SRH skipper Pat Cummins said, “It’s T20 cricket, and it’s not easy every game. He knows it’s not going to work every game. We would have probably wanted to bowl. Same team as the last game.”
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are placed at No. 6 on the points table with six wins and as many defeats from 12 matches. They are well and truly in contention to reach the playoffs despite starting the season with three consecutive losses. Ruturaj Gaikwad’s team is coming into the contest after suffering a seven-wicket loss against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Ekana Stadium. CSK needs two wins in two matches to stay alive in the competition.
On the other side, Sunrisers Hyderabad have also made a strong comeback after a poor start, losing three out of their first four matches. They are currently placed in third position in the points table, with seven wins from 12 matches. If they manage to win the match against CSK, their qualification chances will increase significantly. SRH are also coming into the contest after suffering a big 87-run defeat against the Gujarat Titans at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
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