MS Dhoni is still waiting in the wings for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026, with his availability clouded ahead of the clash against the Gujarat Titans at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday. While the wicketkeeper-batter has reportedly regained full fitness, the question remains whether he is ready to return to the playing XI, especially with the franchise already settled behind the stumps.
Key takeaways
- Dhoni has not yet appeared in IPL 2026, and his participation vs Gujarat Titans in Chennai is still uncertain.
- Reports suggest the 44-year-old is fully fit again after a calf problem, but he remains hesitant to re-enter the XI.
- CSK had previously indicated Dhoni would miss the opening two weeks of the tournament due to the injury.
- Stephen Fleming said Dhoni is progressing well and is “on the road to recovery,” while Michael Hussey expects him to keep wickets when he returns.
- CSK sit in fifth position in the IPL 2026 points table with 6 points from 7 matches.
Injury return still delayed
Dhoni, who captained India to a Cricket World Cup title, has yet to make an appearance in the IPL 2026 season. Ahead of Sunday’s match against the Gujarat Titans, there is lingering suspense around whether he will take the field at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Although he has reportedly recovered fully, the wicketkeeper-batter is said to be reluctant to step back into the playing lineup.
Before the tournament’s 19th edition began, CSK had stated that Dhoni would miss the first two weeks because of a calf injury. However, with more than a month having passed since the competition started, he has still not been seen in match action. The update coming out of the camp indicates that Dhoni has been training with the squad on the day before games, but on match days he has chosen not to travel to the venue.
Why Dhoni is said to be hesitant
As CSK prepare for the fixture against Gujarat Titans, a report has indicated Dhoni is not keen on disturbing the team’s balance by displacing a younger player. The same report also claimed that Dhoni has shared this reasoning with the management.
With Sanju Samson doing well behind the stumps, Dhoni’s hesitation appears even stronger, particularly regarding returning to the gloves for the franchise. The decision becomes more sensitive in a season where consistent roles and settled combinations can be hard to disrupt midstream.
“Road to recovery” comments
On Saturday, ahead of the encounter versus Gujarat Titans—where Shubman Gill leads the opposition’s batting unit—CSK head coach Stephen Fleming was careful when asked about Dhoni’s status. Fleming said Dhoni is progressing and described him as being in the recovery phase.
“He’s progressing well. He’s on the road to recovery and doing everything that’s being asked of him,” Fleming told reporters.
What Hussey said about the expected role
Earlier, during the CSK vs Mumbai Indians match, batting coach Michael Hussey had clarified that if and when Dhoni returns, he would do so as a wicketkeeper rather than taking the field as an impact substitute.
Hussey pointed to the nature of the calf injury and the physical demands placed on a wicketkeeper after entering the game. “I’m pretty sure he will be behind the stumps. The biggest thing is he has had a calf injury, so just the running and later in the innings when he comes in, having to scamper the ones and twos, we just need to make sure the calf is strong to withstand that,” Hussey said.
CSK’s position in IPL 2026
Going into the match, Chennai Super Kings are placed fifth in the IPL 2026 standings, having collected 6 points from 7 games. With the squad already balancing results and role stability, the timing of Dhoni’s return—if it comes—will likely be measured against both fitness readiness and the team’s current structure.
