MS Dhoni is still waiting to return to action in the Indian Premier League 2026 season, even though he has regained some level of fitness. Many expected to see him play at the Wankhede Stadium, but when captain Ruturaj Gaikwad announced the playing XI, Dhoni’s name was not included.
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After that, questions started again about his fitness and how long he might stay out. To clear things up, Chennai Super Kings batting coach Michael Hussey shared an update on Dhoni’s condition.
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What did Hussey say about Dhoni?
Hussey spoke to the broadcasters during the mid-innings break when Chennai Super Kings were batting after losing the toss against the Mumbai Indians. He explained the reason behind Dhoni missing the match and gave an update on his recovery. Hussey also revealed that Dhoni will be seen performing wicketkeeping duties as well.
"He will play soon, though he is not yet 100 per cent fit. Whenever he returns, he will take up wicketkeeping duties; he is currently preparing fully in the nets. At the moment, however, he is experiencing some difficulty running between the wickets. The fans are waiting eagerly, and we, too, want to see him play. The situation will become clearer over the next two matches," said Hussey while having a chat with broadcasters.
What happened to Dhoni?
Dhoni missed this match because he is still not fully fit. The 44-year-old is dealing with a calf muscle injury. In the past few days, there were reports saying he might return for the game on April 23 against Mumbai, but that did not happen.
Now, there is a chance he could come back in the match against the Gujarat Titans on April 26, or possibly in the next game against Mumbai on May 2. He picked up this injury during practice before the start of the season and has been out since then.
Dhoni’s IPL career
As captain, Dhoni has led Chennai Super Kings to five IPL titles. Over his IPL career, he has played 278 matches and scored 5,439 runs. At the moment, it looks like fans may see him back on the field within the next couple of matches.