Out the door before the last league match, MS Dhoni exited the Super Kings setup early. Not seen on field once this tournament, whispers say his recent thumb issue needed time away to heal. Team insiders nodded when Hussey spoke up about it just hours before the clash loomed in Ahmedabad. A quiet move, done without fanfare, mid-camp routine shifting as one legend stepped aside.
Still, just before kickoff, ex-Australia player said Dhoni returns should CSK reach postseason play. Their spot now hangs loose following a loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad late in the group rounds. Beating Gujarat pushes Chennai to 14 points, yet their path forward leans on how other games shake out down the closing stretch.
“I can confirm he is not here with the team, but if we do happen to qualify, then he will definitely join back up with the team. He has got a bit of a sore thumb, so it is recovering nicely, but he would not be ready for this match. But hopefully, if we can manage to get through to the playoffs, then hopefully he will be alright,” Hussey said in the pre-match press conference.
We Were All Disappointed After SRH Game Hussey
That defeat to Hyderabad still stings, Hussey said, heads hanging in the locker room after letting a strong finish at home slip away. Chasing 181, Sunrisers made it look easy thanks to Ishan Kishan’s fifty, which tore through Chennai’s plans late.
For sure, reaching the top four feels tougher now. Each person walks away with small lessons, yet pushing forward comes fast. The mood afterward? Heavy. Everyone felt let down, clearly. Quiet in the locker area. Not much talk. One more match, that’s what matters now,” Hussey said. The coach gathered us, talking fast, urging focus – just one shot left, he kept saying. Shake it off quick. That talk lit a spark, not loud but steady. Moving ahead means changing how we carry ourselves. Every step counts from here.
Even after the loss, Hussey made clear the team’s priority is still putting together a full performance in Ahmedabad – eyes up, mindset steady. The mood stays forward-looking, shaped by belief more than result.
“As long as we move forward with a really positive, confident attitude, we stick together, we keep smiling, and we have got to make sure we try and put on our best possible performance here in Ahmedabad. That has been the focus, trying to move on as quickly as possible and turn up here with the best attitude we can,” he signed off.
