Mahendra Singh Dhoni came to the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on a match day for the first time in IPL 2026 but didn’t feature in the playing XI.
Monday’s game against Sunrisers Hyderabad was Chennai Super Kings’ final home match in this edition. Dhoni wasn’t present in the dugout too.
“MS is here but he is not fit enough to play this game,” captain Ruturaj Gaikwad said at the toss.
Though the CSK captain kept the options open for their final match against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Thursday, it is unlikely that Dhoni would wish to disturb the balance of the side.
The former skipper has not played a single game this season after suffering a calf strain. He reportedly picked up a fresh injury ahead of Monday’s match.
Ravichandran Ashwin hinted on X on Monday morning that Dhoni was unlikely to play. “Not happening today! In 2027? May be,” the former off-spinner wrote.
Dhoni, who will turn 45 in July, last featured in an IPL match in the last group engagement against the Titans in IPL 2025.
He, however, has been a regular at practice sessions in Chennai and his valuable inputs have helped youngsters, notably batter Kartik Sharma and the spin duo of Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmad.
The CSK stalwart has been a reluctant traveller to away games this season. He was booked on a commercial flight to Lucknow earlier
this week for their away match, but changed his mind at the last minute.
Dhoni led the franchise to their fourth IPL title in 2021 and, in a heart-warming speech, had promised his fans that they would certainly see him playing a “farewell game” at their beloved Chepauk. “Whether it’s next year or in five years’ time, we don’t really know,” Dhoni said.
It now remains to be seen if Thala, as Dhoni is called by the fans, makes himself available for another edition in order to live up to his promise of playing at the Chepauk before calling it a day.