MS Dhoni has travelled with the CSK squad to Hyderabad for their match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, which has created a lot of buzz around his possible return. He was seen boarding the team bus as CSK left for the game, but there is still no clear confirmation if he will actually play.
Earlier in the season, he did not travel for away games in Guwahati and Bengaluru, so this is the first strong sign that he is getting closer to match fitness. He was seen joining the squad and even interacting with fans, which shows he is feeling better physically.
His injury situation has been a bit unclear. It was first reported as a calf strain and later mentioned as a groin issue. Right now, he is still not fully match-ready. In practice, he has mostly been doing light sessions and has not gone full intensity yet, especially with wicketkeeping.
Even though he hasn’t played so far, he is still closely involved with the team. The coaching staff has made it clear that his presence and experience continue to help the squad.
CSK, meanwhile, are not struggling at the moment. They have won two matches in a row and look more settled as a team. Players like Dewald Brevis and Noor Ahmad have stepped up. And the team has found a better balance.
MS Dhoni likely to return for CSK against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium
MS Dhoni is likely to return for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026. Reports suggest his comeback could happen against Mumbai Indians on April 23 at Wankhede Stadium.
He had missed the start of the season due to a calf injury and was ruled out for the first two weeks. During that time, CSK struggled early but have now picked up form with two wins in a row. Dhoni is now close to full fitness and has started training again, though he hasn’t faced full bowling intensity yet.
Interestingly, his possible return match is at Wankhede, the same ground where he led India to the 2011 World Cup win. That adds a bit more attention to this game.
Right now, CSK are 8th on the table with 2 wins from 5 matches under Ruturaj Gaikwad. In Dhoni’s absence, Sanju Samson has been handling wicketkeeping duties. Once Dhoni returns, he is expected to take back the gloves, while Samson may continue as a pure batter.
CSK might also use Dhoni carefully at first. There is a chance he could be brought in as an impact player, where he may just bat instead of taking on full workload immediately.
So, his return looks close, but it is still not guaranteed for the next match.
Sanju Samson breaks MS Dhoni’s IPL record with big milestone
Sanju Samson has reached a big milestone in IPL 2026 and has gone past MS Dhoni in a key record. He now holds the record for scoring the most runs for a single team as a wicketkeeper in the IPL.
This came after his strong knock of 48 runs off 32 balls against KKR, where he played an important role in his team’s win. With this, he moved ahead of Dhoni in terms of total runs scored for one franchise as a wicketkeeper.
Another important part of this achievement is his consistency. Samson has now recorded the most instances of being the top run-scorer for his team. He has reached this mark for the 23rd time. This shows how regularly he has performed for his side over the years.
FAQs
Q. Has MS Dhoni returned to play for Chennai Super Kings?
A. Dhoni has travelled with the team but is still not fully match-ready.
Q. What injury is Dhoni dealing with?
A. MS Dhoni has a calf injury, with some reports also mentioning a groin issue.
Q. When is Dhoni likely to return?
A. MS Dhoni is expected to return soon, possibly against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede.
Q. Who is keeping wickets in his absence?
A. Sanju Samson is handling wicketkeeping duties.
Q. What record did Sanju Samson break?
A. Sanju Samson passed Dhoni for most runs as a wicketkeeper for a single IPL team.
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