NEW DELHI: The mood inside Chepauk was charged long before the first delivery of the IPL 2026 showdown between Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, with a familiar face from India’s coaching past helping set the tone. During the toss on Monday, former India head coach Ravi Shastri sparked a wave of excitement when he playfully challenged CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad with the one question that had been on every fan’s mind.
“I have to ask you that question. MS Dhoni, where is he? Is he playing?” Shastri asked, and the MA Chidambaram Stadium erupted in cheers. The moment Dhoni’s name was raised, the stands went louder, as thousands of supporters waited for the CSK icon to finally step out and mark his return to IPL action for the 2026 campaign.
Gaikwad, however, moved quickly to bring clarity. “He’s still here, but he’s not fit enough to play this game,” the CSK skipper said, leading to a mix of reaction from the crowd—disappointment for those expecting a surprise appearance, but acceptance given the answer.
Dhoni has been absent from this season due to a calf issue. Even so, his regular presence during training sessions has kept hope alive that he could make a comeback. Ahead of the match, former players, including Ravichandran Ashwin, suggested Dhoni might be an option as an Impact Player, while Sunil Gavaskar voiced doubts about whether the veteran would take the risk of returning during such a critical phase of the tournament.
With both franchises chasing key results, the contest carries major playoff weight. CSK arrived in sixth place after 12 matches, having won six times, and they needed wins in both remaining fixtures to keep their postseason hopes alive. SRH, in contrast, entered third in the standings, also from 12 games, with seven wins to their name.
At the toss, Sunrisers Hyderabad named a strong lineup featuring Heinrich Klaasen, Ishan Kishan and captain Pat Cummins. Chennai, meanwhile, opted to give opportunities to Sanju Samson, Dewald Brevis and Spencer Johnson as they searched for another crucial victory at Chepauk.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (Playing XI)
- Abhishek Sharma
- Ishan Kishan (w)
- Heinrich Klaasen
- Salil Arora
- Smaran Ravichandran
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Pat Cummins (c)
- Shivang Kumar
- Eshan Malinga
- Sakib Hussain
- Praful Hinge
Sunrisers Hyderabad Impact Subs
- Travis Head
- Aniket Verma
- Liam Livingstone
- Harsh Dubey
- Harshal Patel
Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI)
- Sanju Samson (w)
- Ruturaj Gaikwad (c)
- Urvil Patel
- Kartik Sharma
- Dewald Brevis
- Shivam Dube
- Prashant Veer
- Akeal Hosein
- Noor Ahmad
- Anshul Kamboj
- Spencer Johnson
Chennai Super Kings Impact Subs
- Mukesh Choudhary
- Matthew Short
- Sarfaraz Khan
- Aman Khan
- Gurjapneet Singh
