Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin recently made a major statement about the possible return of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) wicketkeeper MS Dhoni in IPL 2026. Ashwin suggested that the legendary cricketer might only come back into the playing XI if the Chennai franchise is officially out of the tournament.
Dhoni missed an eighth consecutive match for Chennai this season, creating serious uncertainty around his return due to a calf strain. The Ruturaj Gaikwad-led team suffered an eight-wicket defeat against the Gujarat Titans (GT) at home on Sunday, April 26, which has further damaged their playoff qualification chances.
Then Maybe MS Dhoni Will Play – Ravichandran Ashwin
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ravichandran Ashwin stated that MS Dhoni would not risk returning at a crucial stage. Ashwin stated that Chennai Super Kings still have realistic chances of qualifying, so making sudden changes to the lineup is not necessary at this point.
“I will say it directly. If CSK are out of the tournament, then maybe Mahendra Singh Dhoni will play. CSK are on six points and need eight points from the remaining games. If they win four matches, they still have a chance,” Ashwin stated.
“Why take risks now? They won’t take risks. I feel CSK still have a chance to qualify because the mid-table is very crowded. This is not the time to talk about that yet,” he added.
MS Dhoni Remains Sidelined With Calf Strain as CSK Await Full Match Fitness
The legendary Chennai Super Kings wicketkeeper initially suffered a calf strain that ruled him out during the opening two weeks of the tournament. However, the recovery period extended beyond expectations, keeping him sidelined for the first eight matches of the season.
MS Dhoni practiced wicketkeeping drills and batted in net sessions. However, he was not seen with the team bus heading to Chepauk. Reports suggested that he delayed his return to maintain the current team combination.
Chennai Super Kings batting coach Michael Hussey confirmed that Dhoni is progressing well in his recovery. However, the management prefers to wait until he reaches full match fitness before making his comeback.
Gujarat Titans Push Chennai Super Kings Toward Elimination
Without MS Dhoni on the side, the Chennai Super Kings struggled against the Gujarat Titans on Sunday. Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad worked hard with an unbeaten 74 off 60 balls. The home team managed only 158 runs in their allotted overs.
South African pacer Kagiso Rabada led the charge, dismantling the CSK batting lineup with impressive figures of 3 for 25. CSK fell short of a competitive total on a surface that offered some assistance. Rababa won the Player of the Match for his impact spell.
The Gujarat Titans chased down the target comfortably in just 16.4 overs, securing an eight-wicket victory. Sai Sudharsan played a match-winning knock of 87 off 46 balls. Chennai Super Kings needed five wins from their remaining six matches to keep their playoff hopes alive.
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