MS Dhoni is reportedly close to full fitness after recovering from the calf injury that ruled him out of the early stages ipl 2026. The 44-year-old has traveled to Hyderabad with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) team, indicating that he may soon return to the playing eleven for the upcoming matches.
Ruturaj Gaikwad-led Chennai Super Kings will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Saturday, April 18. The five-time champions are aiming to register their third consecutive win after recent wins against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Delhi Capitals (DC).
MS Dhoni ruled out of IPL 2026 vs SRH clash despite traveling with team
Despite traveling with the squad for the first time in three weeks, ms dhoni There is no possibility of playing against Sunrisers Hyderabad. According to RevSportz, the Chennai Super Kings management does not want to rush his return and would prefer him to regain full match fitness.
RavSportz wrote on
Breaking!
MS Dhoni has gone to Hyderabad with CSK team but he will not play tomorrow. Although he is progressing well, it is likely that he will make his debut in the match against Gujarat Titans in Chennai on April 26.
– RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) 17 April 2026
Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad shared positive updates on the first two weeks of the rehabilitation process. Dhoni recently took part in a light net session, facing the throwdown from batting coach Michael Hussey, but did not take any wicketkeeping practice, which suggests he may return as the first impact option.
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It’s just a game without him – Stephen Fleming on MS Dhoni
Although legendary indian captain After missing the first five matches, head coach Stephen Fleming highlighted MS Dhoni’s off-field contributions. Speaking at a press conference, he said that despite not being on the field, Dhoni continues to have a positive impact on the team environment.
Stephen Fleming, addressing reporters before their last home match, said, “It’s just one game without him. He’s still involved in the team and his influence is very strong.”
Dhoni has scored 5,439 runs in 278 IPL matches at an impressive average of 38.30. The experienced batsman remains the sixth-highest run-scorer in the history of the tournament. He scored 196 runs during the team’s disappointing wooden-spooner campaign last season.
Chennai Super Kings are facing a huge selection dilemma
Bringing MS Dhoni back into the playing eleven has made selection difficult for head coach Stephen Fleming. After three consecutive defeats, Chennai Super Kings Balance was found by adding Dewald Brevis and Akil Hossein.
The team is now in a strong position and both batting and bowling are performing well. Sanju Samson has handled the wicketkeeping duties effectively, while Sarfaraz Khan and Shivam Dubey have impressed in finishing roles, a position that usually belongs to Dhoni.
with the captain Ruturaj Gaikwad Being the only batsman struggling for form, the team management is facing a difficult decision. They will have to decide whether changing the winning combination to bring back the 44-year-old veteran will benefit the team going forward.
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