Chennai Super Kings seem to have finally found their groove in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). They have won their last two matches after starting their campaign with a hat-trick of losses. Their latest win came against the Kolkata Knight Riders by 32 runs, and they have jumped to eighth place. But they are still missing their talisman and former captain MS Dhoni who has not played in any of the five matches so far in IPL 2026.
Every fan is now asking only one question: Will MS Dhoni play the next match? Well, the veteran cricketer hit the nets on the eve of the clash against KKR, sparking the possibility of featuring in the game at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. However, if the reports are to be believed, Dhoni is closing in on regaining full fitness and is expected to play against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday (April 18) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
This will be a huge boost for the five-time champions and also the fans who have been eagerly waiting for their favourite to take the field this season.
Will MS Dhoni’s return disturb CSK’s winning combination? Whom will he replace?
But then, the CSK need to askย the toughest questions to themselves – Will MS Dhoni’s return disturb their winning combination? After struggling in the first three matches, they finally seem to have found their best team combination and even the players are settling into their respective roles. Is there actually a place for Dhoni or can he play as an impact player for them?
Dhoni is a kind of player who himself would not like to disturb the winning combination and would already be delighted that the team is doing well without him. But the team is lacking the finishing kick in the innings, with Shivam Dube not able to hit big sixes on a regular basis.
In the past few seasons, Dhoni has made limited appearances with the bat, batting down the order. His strike rate in 2023 was 182 after facing 57 balls and 221 in 2024 after playing only 73 deliveries. Even though he struggled last year, his big-hitting ability was never in doubt and for now, it seems that he can play a similar role, which might in turn give confidence to Dube as well.
In case CSK decide to replace him with a batter and then the only casualty seems to be Sarfaraz Khan. Currently, they are playing with seven-bowling options, including Dube, with Akeal Hosein also looking good as an impact player. In this case, they might also leave out Gurjapneet Singh, the move which will lengthen their batting line-up. But then, they can only play five specialist bowlers and hope that Dube is not needed to bowl much.
Only time will tell if the CSK management if ready to take these decisions when MS Dhoni is fully fit.
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