Maybe MS Dhoni is flying to Lucknow – his ticket was arranged by Chennai Super Kings officials before their IPL 2026 match versus the Lucknow Super Giants. He hasn’t taken part in any games so far this season, nor made many trips with the squad to road matches
He’s been off the field since hurting his leg just before IPL 2026 began. Early word from Chennai said he’d probably miss around fourteen days. That timeframe passed quietly, yet still no sign of him showing up on the pitch. Now murmurs spread through crowds wondering if they’ll witness the captain play at all this season.
Kasi Viswanathan Confirms Dhoni’s Ticket
A report on Cricbuzz says CSK’s chief executive, Kasi Viswanathan, made it clear the team arranged a regular airline seat for Dhoni heading to Lucknow. The match against LSG – set for Friday, May 15 – is where the five-time winners are due to play.
He turns 45 soon, yet hasn’t stepped onto the field once this season. Only two road trips mark his presence – one to Hyderabad, another to Mumbai. Chepauk saw no sign of him during the team’s matches there either.
Dhoni’s return delayed
Late last month, CSK’s head coach Stephen Fleming mentioned that Dhoni faced another delay in returning to play. After their defeat to Gujarat Titans at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, he spoke about it during a press event. Dhoni pulled his calf once more while working through preparation, according to Fleming. Though injured, the former captain remains eager to rejoin, Fleming added when asked about his mindset.
Suspense Around Hardik Lingers
Still no word on Hardik Pandya, who seems to have stayed behind while the rest of the Mumbai Indians headed off to Dharamsala. The captain didn’t join the squad that arrived there Monday afternoon ahead of their match versus Punjab Kings.
Later that day, after showing up for RCB’s match in Raipur, there’s talk of Hardik returning to the team. Reports from Cricbuzz say the MI medical crew are checking his back issue at their base in Mumbai. The problem started with sudden muscle tightness, which kept him out of the past two games.
Right now, Suryakumar Yadav isn’t with the MI team on tour. Though, he’s likely to meet them soon after handling private matters. A new child arrived in his family lately, which explains his current absence. He showed up late for the match in Raipur earlier. This pattern might repeat again without surprise.
