Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni looked every bit the familiar stars of the MI-CSK rivalry as both spent time batting in the nets at Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday—yet neither has received the official green light to feature in Thursday’s opening instalment of the IPL “El Clasico” showdown between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. The first match of the much-anticipated MI–CSK rivalry will be played in Mumbai, but the big question remains whether the two key protagonists will be fit to line up again.
Rohit Sharma’s comeback after hamstring concern
Rohit, who has played the opening four matches for Mumbai Indians this season, is working his way back from a hamstring injury. He had walked off the field during MI’s game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the same venue 10 days earlier.
- He was seen in training on Wednesday in Mumbai, batting as he continues his rehabilitation.
- Team management indicated that the final decision on Rohit’s participation would be made around the toss time on Thursday.
- During his session under lights, he appeared to be moving well and did not show any obvious signs of discomfort.
- In the nets, he focused more on timing and placement than on hitting through the line.
Earlier in the day, Rohit reached Wankhede with his family and then went on to complete his batting stint under lights.
Dhoni’s calf strain and his day-by-day workload
Dhoni, meanwhile, has not taken the field in this IPL campaign so far, with a calf strain ruling him out of action. The injury had been picked up just before the tournament began in late March.
CSK’s captain enjoyed a full training build-up across the previous two days, including wicketkeeping drills and batting work. On Tuesday, he went full tilt in the session—first keeping wickets and then taking time in the nets. On Wednesday, his involvement was shorter at the start before he stepped away and returned later for nearly an hour to face throwdown specialists and fast bowlers.
- Dhoni’s Tuesday work featured wicket-keeping followed by nets batting.
- On Wednesday, he began with a brief stint, took a break, and then returned for close to an hour.
- He faced throwdown specialists and also fast bowling during the later part of the session.
- His batting in the nets was mixed, with some shots sailing while others did not connect.
- CSK bowling coach Eric Simons said Dhoni’s availability will depend on how “happy” the former skipper and the team’s medical staff feel about his condition.
Light moments at Wankhede and the MI squad training picture
Even with the fitness uncertainty hanging over the contest, there were lighter moments in the nets. Dhoni, known for his love of dogs, spotted an AI-powered IPL robotic dog and spent a few minutes interacting with it. He even tried to get the robot dog to mimic him using gestures, though there were moments when the device couldn’t follow along.
On the Mumbai Indians side, Suryakumar Yadav—India’s T20I skipper—had three separate batting stints in the nets on Wednesday. It was MI’s only full-squad training session, with another session held on Tuesday being optional.
- Suryakumar Yadav completed three different batting stints in the nets on Wednesday.
- For MI, Wednesday was the only complete squad session, aside from an optional practice on Tuesday.
Suryakumar’s form and the season so far
While Suryakumar showed a return to form during an away game against Delhi Capitals—where he made a measured half-century—he has not consistently produced the kind of scoring streak he managed last season.
- He made a half-century in an away match versus Delhi Capitals.
- He has not matched the consistency from last season.
- Last year, he recorded 16 consecutive innings with scores of at least 25 runs or more.
What to watch before Thursday’s MI vs CSK
With the “El Clasico” slated for Thursday at Wankhede Stadium, the immediate storyline is fitness—Rohit’s hamstring recovery and Dhoni’s calf strain. Rohit’s inclusion will be decided around the toss, while Dhoni’s chances will be shaped by how both he and CSK’s medical team assess his readiness. Until then, both veterans continue to put in work in the nets, giving fans a glimpse of what could be on offer in the next MI–CSK chapter.
