Chennai Super Kings will take on Gujarat Titans in their last league-stage outing, and batting coach Michael Hussey has addressed the big question around MS Dhoni’s fitness. Hussey said Dhoni is currently unavailable because of a thumb injury, adding that he could be back with the squad only if CSK manage to secure qualification for the playoffs.
Quick facts
- CSK’s final league match is against Gujarat Titans (GT).
- MS Dhoni is ruled out for the game due to a thumb injury.
- Hussey indicated Dhoni could return if CSK qualify for the playoffs.
- Gujarat Titans are placed second in the points table.
- CSK’s win would take them to 14 points.
- After that, CSK would still need other results to go their way to reach the playoffs.
Following a disappointing result against Sunrisers Hyderabad, CSK head into the Ahmedabad contest with a “must-win” scenario. Gujarat sit in the second position in the standings, raising the stakes for CSK to produce a turnaround performance and keep their postseason hopes alive.
At the post-match press conference, Hussey gave a direct update on Dhoni’s status. “I can confirm he is not with the team right now,” he said, noting that the thumb issue is recovering well, but the wicketkeeper-batter would not be fit for this particular match.
Hussey also explained the conditional nature of Dhoni’s return. If CSK do qualify for the playoffs, Dhoni is expected to rejoin the group, provided the recovery progresses as planned.
Learning from the SRH loss
Hussey then looked back at CSK’s previous match against SRH, where the chasing side successfully knocked down a target of 181. He referenced Ishan Kishan’s standout fifty as a key factor in the outcome, while acknowledging that CSK were left disappointed after failing to finish their home campaign on a high.
While admitting the setback has made the route to the top four tougher, Hussey said the team will extract lessons and move forward quickly. “Obviously, it has made it more difficult for us to get through to the top four,” he said, emphasising that individual takeaways would be part of the response as they shift focus to the final fixture.
He added that the dressing room mood after the defeat was flat, but the team was urged to refocus immediately. The message was clear: there is one more game and one more chance, so CSK must not dwell and instead channel their attitude into the next challenge.
In his closing remarks, Hussey said the team’s attention is now fixed on delivering the “best possible performance” in Ahmedabad. With a positive and confident approach, he believes CSK can stay together, maintain their smiles, and put in the kind of effort required to keep their playoff hopes in play.
