It will not be the game against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, but the following week could finally mark MS Dhoni’s return. According to a recent media report, the former Chennai Super Kings captain is set to make his first appearance in IPL 2026 against the Mumbai Indians on April 23 at the Wankhede Stadium.
According to a report in The Indian Express, the 44-year-old, who has been sidelined since the start of the season and has missed CSK’s first five matches, is close to regaining full fitness. The report added that there is still no confirmation on whether Dhoni will travel with the squad for the match against Hyderabad.
Since suffering a calf injury, Dhoni has not travelled with the team for away games and has instead been recuperating in Chennai, where his family is currently based. He was also not seen at the MA Chidambaram Stadium during home matches, which sparked speculation. However, the report stated that Dhoni has been closely following the team’s performances from the team hotel.
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Dhoni has, however, been present during training sessions at Chepauk for all three home games this season. He even underwent light batting sessions, restricting himself to throwdowns, without showing any signs of discomfort.
Despite his absence on match days, Dhoni continues to influence the squad. Earlier this week, bowling coach Sridharan Sriram revealed how a detailed interaction with Noor Ahmad during training helped the spinner bounce back to form and deliver a match-winning performance against Delhi Capitals.
Chennai endured a difficult start to the season, losing their first three matches to slip to the bottom of the table. However, they bounced back with two consecutive wins at home to climb to eighth place.
CSK will now look to carry that momentum into away fixtures, beginning with their clash against Hyderabad on April 18.