Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin recently made a big statement about the possible comeback of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) wicketkeeper MS Dhoni in IPL 2026. Ashwin suggested that the veteran cricketer can come back to the playing eleven only if the Chennai franchise is officially out of the tournament.
Dhoni missed his eighth consecutive match for Chennai this season due to a calf strain, creating serious uncertainty over his comeback. The Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side suffered an eight-wicket defeat against Gujarat Titans (GT) at home on Sunday, April 26, further spoiling their playoff qualification chances.
Then maybe MS Dhoni will play – Ravichandran Ashwin
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ravichandran Ashwin said that MS Dhoni will not risk a comeback at the crucial stage. Ashwin said that Chennai Super Kings still have real chances to qualify, so it is not necessary to make sudden changes in the lineup at this time.
“I will say it straight. If CSK is out of the tournament, maybe Mahendra Singh Dhoni will play. CSK have six points and need eight points from the remaining matches. If they win four matches, they still have a chance,” Ashwin said.
“Why take the risk now? They won’t take the risk. I think CSK still have a chance to qualify because the mid-table is very crowded. Now is not the time to talk about it,” he said.
CSK awaits full match fitness, MS Dhoni out due to calf strain
The legendary Chennai Super Kings wicketkeeper initially suffered a calf strain, which ruled him out of the first two weeks of the tournament. However, the recovery period exceeded expectations, keeping him out of the first eight games of the season.
MS Dhoni did wicketkeeping practice and batted in the net session. However, he was not seen with the team bus going to Chepauk. Reports suggested that he delayed his return to maintain the current team combination.
Chennai Super Kings batting coach Michael Hussey confirmed that Dhoni’s recovery is going well. However, the management prefers to wait until he reaches full match fitness before his return.
Gujarat Titans push Chennai Super Kings towards elimination
Without MS Dhoni, Chennai Super Kings struggled against Gujarat Titans on Sunday. Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad worked hard and scored unbeaten 74 runs in 60 balls. The home team could score only 158 runs in its allotted overs.
South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada led the way and dismantled CSK’s batting lineup by taking 3 wickets for 25 runs. CSK fell short of a competitive total on a surface that provided some assistance. Rababa won the Player of the Match award for his impressive spell.
Gujarat Titans chased the target with ease in just 16.4 overs, winning by eight wickets. Sai Sudarshan played the match-winning inning of 87 runs in 46 balls. Chennai Super Kings needed five wins from their remaining six matches to keep their playoff hopes alive.
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