Still waiting to see MS Dhoni back on the field in IPL 2026. A calf problem kept him off the team at the beginning of the tournament. He has been around with Chennai Super Kings since March, though. Videos pop up often showing him training hard, joining drills, playing practice matches. Yet he hasn’t stepped into any real game so far this year. R Ashwin, once his teammate and part of India’s spin legacy, thinks making a comeback now won’t be easy.
One point per game so far keeps Chennai alive in the hunt for IPL 2026’s later stages. Ten matches done, ten points earned. Four contests left on their path forward. Should they win all four, the door swings wide open. Three wins might be enough, though it depends on others slipping up somewhere along the way.
Should CSK stay in the race, Ashwin thinks Dhoni’s role could be limited. Yet should they fall out early, a final match at home seems possible. His view rests on how far the team goes. A last appearance there feels likely only if hopes fade before playoffs begin.
“If MS Dhoni comes, then the combination will be changed. It becomes very difficult, so I think there are very slim chances [of making a comeback]. If they lose two of their next three games, then he might get a farewell game in Chennai,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Back again with Chennai Super Kings, Dhoni entered IPL 2025 as an uncapped pick worth four crores. That deal rolled into 2026 without any shift in pay. The amount stayed fixed.
Out of nowhere, Dhoni managed 196 runs across 14 games in IPL 2025. His average settled at 24.50, not too high, yet solid enough. The strike rate? A steady 135.17 kept things moving. Performance-wise, it was a balanced outing with the bat.
Rising through the ranks after a shaky beginning, Chennai Super Kings now sit sixth in the standings. Three straight losses at the outset tested their balance. Yet steady progress shifted momentum their way. Resilience shaped their turnaround without fanfare. Position reflects quiet consistency more than brilliance. They occupy mid-table space with room still to climb.
Back then, Michael Hussey, CSK’s batting mentor, mentioned Dhoni made a quiet choice – he stayed away from the 2026 IPL games on purpose. His reason? Not wanting attention pulled from the squad. Being around might shift focus, so he stepped back.
“He’s such a team-oriented guy, MS Dhoni. He always wants what’s best for the team, and he was worried that if he came, there’d be a bit too much of a distraction. Obviously, the cameras would be on him a lot. The crowd would be cheering for him and things like that,” Hussey said.
