The uncertainty surrounding MS Dhoni’s availability for the Indian Premier League 2026 has continued to grow. The Chennai Super Kings wicketkeeper-batter was sidelined at the start of the campaign due to a calf problem. Although he has been part of the franchise setup since March and has been seen taking part in practice outings and net sessions—footage from those sessions has also made its way onto social media—Dhoni has not yet played a single match for CSK in the ongoing season.
India’s celebrated off-spinner R Ashwin, a former CSK teammate of Dhoni, believes the road back to the playing XI looks extremely steep. Ashwin suggested that Dhoni’s comeback chances are “very difficult,” while also pointing out a scenario where the veteran could still get closure in familiar surroundings if CSK’s playoff push ends.
CSK, meanwhile, remain firmly in the race for the IPL 2026 playoffs. The franchise currently sits with 10 points from their first 10 matches, and they still have four league games left. Four wins from the remaining fixtures could help them secure a place in the next round, though three victories would also keep their qualification hopes alive.
Ashwin added that Dhoni’s involvement for CSK would likely depend on how the season unfolds from here. In his view, if CSK continue to remain in contention, the chances of Dhoni returning diminish further. But if the team slips out of the race, Ashwin expects the possibility of a farewell appearance for Dhoni in Chennai.
“If MS Dhoni comes, then the combination will be changed. It becomes very difficult, so I think there are very slim chances [of making a comeback]. If they lose two of their next three games, then he might get a farewell game in Chennai,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Dhoni’s IPL 2026 situation is also linked to how CSK planned for his role financially and squad-wise. The wicketkeeper-batter was retained by CSK as an “uncapped player” ahead of IPL 2025 for ₹4 crore, and that retention carried into IPL 2026 with his salary kept unchanged.
On the batting front, Dhoni’s most recent IPL season—IPL 2025—was productive. He made 196 runs across 14 matches, striking at 135.17, and finished with an average of 24.50.
In the current campaign, CSK are placed sixth on the points table. Their position reflects a recovery after a rough beginning, when they were hit by three straight defeats early in the tournament.
Earlier, batting coach Michael Hussey had also shed light on Dhoni’s absence from CSK’s IPL 2026 matches. Hussey said Dhoni deliberately chose not to attend the team’s games because he did not want to become a distraction for the side.
“He’s such a team-oriented guy, MS Dhoni. He always wants what’s best for the team, and he was worried that if he came, there’d be a bit too much of a distraction. Obviously, the cameras would be on him a lot. The crowd would be cheering for him and things like that,” Hussey said.
