Mahendra Singh Dhoni is unlikely to feature in Chennai Super Kings’ sixth IPL 2026 league game against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 18, with the franchise instead targeting the April 23 clash against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede for his first appearance of the season. As per reports from the Indian Express, team sources indicate the 44-year-old is close to full match fitness after recovering from a pre-season calf strain.

 

The development keeps Dhoni out of CSK’s first five completed matches, all played without him after the veteran suffered the injury during pre-season training. While he has resumed batting practice at Chepauk and has been seen taking throwdowns without discomfort, he has still not returned to full wicketkeeping or match-intensity drills.

 

The straight statistical backdrop is that CSK, despite the absence of their most tracked figure, have recovered from three straight losses to win back-to-back games and move to eighth with four points from five matches.

 

Calf strain delays season debut, MI game emerges as target

 

The current expectation is that Dhoni’s first IPL 2026 outing could come in the season’s first CSK-Mumbai Indians meeting on April 23. The timing aligns with the rehabilitation window first outlined by the franchise and the latest signs from training, where he has been able to hit freely.

 

The satire of Dhoni missing the first stretch while CSK rebuild their season is balanced by cold numbers: two wins, three defeats, and a side that has begun to settle its combination through Sanju Samson, Noor Ahmad and Dewald Brevis.

 

That also turns Dhoni’s return into a selection question rather than just a fitness update, especially with CSK’s batting depth now looking less fragile.

 

Read also: MI in Trouble as Rohit Sharma Ruled Out of the IPL 2026 Match Against Punjab Kings

 

Dhoni’s MI numbers add context to likely return

 

If the return is held for Wankhede, it places Dhoni back against the opponent he has faced most frequently in the IPL. Across 44 matches against Mumbai Indians for CSK and Rising Pune Super Giants, he has scored 772 runs in 38 innings, including three half-centuries at an average of 35.09 and a strike rate of 130.62.

 

His most recent IPL outing against Mumbai came on April 20, 2025, at the same venue, where he made 4 off 6 balls. This time, the focus remains strictly on fitness clearance, with CSK expected to take the safer route rather than rush him into the Hyderabad fixture.