MS Dhoni has not yet played his first match for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2026. Due to a calf strain, he is on the sidelines as a mere spectator to watch the team lose three consecutive matches. They will face Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on April 18 after facing Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders on April 11 and April 14 respectively.
There are still 11 days left before the match between CSK and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Meanwhile, SRH are scheduled to face Punjab Kings (April 11) and Rajasthan Royals (April 13). With plenty of days left, SRH have already started making calculations about their upcoming game against five-time IPL winners, CSK.
Will MS Dhoni play against Sunrisers Hyderabad?
It is still unknown when MS Dhoni will make a comeback with the Yellow Brigade. As per the latest reports, the great keeper-batsman will go for a scan ahead of the clash against Delhi Capitals. While CSK fans are hoping to see the icon in action, SRH star Heinrich Klaasen is not worried about Dhoni at all.
The South African batsman, who is in good touch with the Hyderabad-based franchise, said that whether MS Dhoni will play against him or not does not matter the most. Klaasen believes that if MS Dhoni goes to play against him, the 44-year-old will not play more than 5 to 10 balls.
Heinrich Klaasen gave a big decision on Dhoni
“CSK have an incredible IPL record. They are not an inferior team even without Dhoni. They are a very strong team. It is not going to be an easy game. They are always a good, challenging team,” Klaasen told PTI.
He further added, “Dhoni not being there doesn’t really make a difference, it’s more about the other people. With Dhoni not being there I think the crowd will be a little quieter. I don’t think his absence will make that big an impact except on his leadership. He has been coming to bat for just 5-10 balls in the last few years.”
Over the past few seasons, the former captain has pushed himself deeper into the batting order. In the 2024 season, MS Dhoni scored 161 runs in 11 innings at an average of 53.66 and a whopping strike rate of 220.54. The following season, his figures dropped drastically as he managed to score 196 runs at an average of 24.50 and a strike rate of 135.17.
Klaasen pays respect to CSK’s batting unit
Despite Chennai Super Kings’ underwhelming performance, Heinrich Klaasen praised the opposition’s batting unit as they have several talented and explosive batsmen in their arsenal.
“Sivam (Dubey) is in good form, their two openers (Sanju Samson and Ruturaj Gaikwad) are also fantastic, we just need to squeeze them a little more,” the SRH batsman said.
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