Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have been playing without MS Dhoni for more than a month in IPL 2026. At first, it was expected that he would miss only a couple of weeks, but his return has taken longer than planned, and he has not played in several matches.

Michael Hussey on MS Dhoni's availability

Before the big game against Mumbai Indians (MI), CSK batting coach Michael Hussey shared an update. He said Dhoni is still not ready to play. The experienced wicketkeeper-batter is dealing with a calf injury that is taking time to heal.

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Head coach Stephen Fleming also spoke about the situation earlier. He mentioned that Dhoni had a small setback when he hurt his calf again during a warm-up session. This has slowed down his recovery, and there is still no clear date for his comeback.

“MS is going really well. Hopefully, he’ll be back as soon as possible. I’m not sure if that will be tomorrow or the match after, but he’s progressing well. Once he feels confident in his calf, I’m sure he’ll give the signal that he’s ready to go. At the moment, we’re guided by him. We’re waiting. I think all of Chennai is waiting," Hussey said at the pre-match press conference.

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CSK's performance in IPL 2026

Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are currently sixth on the points table with just three wins in eight outings of the tournament. Their campaign began with three consecutive losses against Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Notably, this is the second time that MI and CSK will face each other in the ongoing edition of the cash-rich league. Earlier during their last outing, the Hardik Pandya-led side defeated them by 103 runs.


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