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MS Dhoni is yet to play a single match for CSK in IPL 2026, the latest against Sunrisers Hyderabad. The 44-year-old has sustained a calf strain, for which the franchise ruled the former skipper out for two weeks. Interestingly, the two-week time frame that CSK specified is over.
Chennai Super Kings' MS Dhoni during a practice session.(PTI)At the start of the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) released a statement on social media, stating, “MS Dhoni is currently undergoing rehabilitation for a calf strain. As a result, he is likely to miss the first two weeks of IPL 2026.” The announcement was made on March 28, the day IPL 2026 kicked off in Bengaluru.
Since then, more than two weeks have passed - 21 days to be precise - with no signs of Dhoni as CSK named a playing XI without the former skipper against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday. During the first two weeks, Dhoni didn't travel with the squad in the away games and not even to Chepauk on the match days at home.
But after visuals emerged of Dhoni travelling to Hyderabad for the game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, expectations were on top for the fans who have come to watch the game. But to everybody's disappointment, neither toss presenter Ravi Shastri nor CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad even mentioned the name of Dhoni at the coin toss.
Why CSK are delaying with MS Dhoni's return?
While there are no concrete information on Dhoni's current fitness update, but the 44-year-old was seen batting at the nets, smashing the deliveries in equal measure on the eve Sunrisers Hyderabad clash.
CSK posted a video on Instagram, where Dhoni could be seen batting in the nets and smashing some massive sixes. Dhoni also had a light stint in the nets ahead of his team's clash against three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Chepauk Stadium.
While from outside, Dhoni may look fit while batting at nets, but it is believed that the five-time IPL-winning skipper is not 100% match fit to feature in a game. This the sixth game Dhoni missed in IPL 2026. He was not even named in the list of impact subs.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, CSK made two changes against Sunrisers Hyderabad, bringing in Matthew Short and Mukesh Choudhary in place of Akeal Hosein and injured Khaleel Ahmed.
SRH vs CSK playing XIs
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan(c), Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora(w), Aniket Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivang Kumar, Praful Hinge, Sakib Hussain, Eshan Malinga
Chennai Super Kings: Sanju Samson(w), Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Sarfaraz Khan, Shivam Dube, Dewald Brevis, Jamie Overton, Matthew Short, Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary, Gurjapneet Singh
About the Author
Koushik Paul
Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.
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