MS Dhoni’s absence from the IPL 2026 has become one of the tournament’s most discussed storylines, with the Chennai Super Kings wicketkeeper-batter not featuring in a single match for the franchise. What began as an injury setback before the season gradually turned into a prolonged spell on the sidelines, leaving CSK without its veteran in both crunch moments and routine games.
Before the tournament got under way, Dhoni suffered a calf strain, an ailment that initially ruled him out for roughly two weeks, as was communicated by the CSK set-up. However, his return kept getting pushed back. A CSK coach later indicated that Dhoni had experienced another calf injury during the recovery phase, delaying his comeback further and extending the period in which he stayed out of matchday squads.
As the IPL 2026 season moved toward its conclusion, CSK again revised the situation. Ahead of the franchise’s last home fixture this week, the management stated that Dhoni was dealing with a thumb problem. Even though Dhoni did step out to the venue for CSK’s final home game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, it was understood that his appearance was largely tied to a photo opportunity rather than a return to competitive action.
CSK’s campaign, meanwhile, ended without a playoff berth. The four-time champions failed to qualify for the postseason after suffering a defeat to Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Thursday. Dhoni was reported to have left the camp ahead of that match, meaning he was not present even for the squad’s final push in the league stage.
With Dhoni out of action for the entire season, CSK supporters were left disappointed, and the handling of the updates surrounding his fitness has drawn criticism from former India and IPL great Krishnamachari Srikkanth. Srikkanth, while speaking about Dhoni’s standing as one of the game’s finest, argued that the franchise should have offered clearer, more consistent communication throughout the setbacks.
On his YouTube channel, Srikkanth took aim at the repeated messaging that suggested Dhoni would be ready for the next game, only for further delays to follow. He said CSK kept giving fans the impression that Dhoni would return shortly, then pointed to videos from net sessions before shifting again to claims that Dhoni had suffered a fresh injury. In his view, that cycle only created confusion and prevented supporters from adjusting their expectations.
Srikkanth went on to argue that if CSK had been upfront from the start that Dhoni would not be available for the whole season, the fanbase would have mentally prepared and moved on. He also referenced captaincy and leadership responsibility, saying that Ruturaj Gaikwad had repeatedly suggested the “big man” would be available in the next match, and that this should have been replaced with a more direct message if the reality was that Dhoni was unlikely to return for the remainder of the tournament.
Concluding his remarks, Srikkanth suggested that Dhoni’s absence is not being questioned in terms of whether he is playing at all, but rather why he is not visible in the dressing room on matchdays. He framed the situation as an end of an era, stating: “The Dhoni era is over.”
