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Will MS Dhoni play against SRH? CSK legend preparing for one last dance at Chepauk in IPL 2026 originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- MS Dhoni is yet to play in IPL 2026 due to a recurring calf injury.
- CSK's final home game against SRH could be Dhoni's farewell at Chepauk.
- A defeat on Monday would virtually end CSK's IPL 2026 playoff hopes entirely.
Will MS Dhoni be available for selection against SRH?
MS Dhoni is yet to take the field in IPL 2026 for Chennai Super Kings. However, when CSK face Sunrisers Hyderabad at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on May 18, it has been reported that the legend could make a return to competitive cricket.
Dhoni sat out of every CSK game this season because of a calf injury picked up during pre-season preparations.
While he has been present in the CSK practice sessions, he was never fit enough to take his place in the playing eleven. That, however, appears to have changed.
According to reports, Dhoni might be named in the playing XI for the first time this season as he has achieved match fitness.
It has also been mentioned that this fixture might be his last in CSK colours at Chepauk.
"Let's see. I have a feeling that against SunRisers Hyderabad, there is a good chance of him playing. Let's wait and see how it goes," former spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said.
"As far as I have heard, he has been ready to take the field for the last two-three games."
MORE: Kamboj makes unwanted IPL history: Highest economy rate in a T20 match
Does CSK need MS Dhoni?
A seven-wicket hammering at the hands of Lucknow Super Giants pushed them down to sixth on the points table, and their Net Run Rate sits at a fragile +0.027.
The twin problems of lower-order fragility and tactical inexperience in the field have been visible throughout the campaign. Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has led with composure, but experienced support, particularly from Dhoni, has been missing.
Sanju Samson has done a reasonable job with the gloves, and the management was reluctant to disturb a combination that had been working. But with two back-to-back must-win games now staring them in the face, keeping Dhoni on the bench is a luxury Chennai can no longer afford.
On the contrary, if Dhoni is rusty, then the selection choice will backfire spectacularly.
A loss against Hyderabad would eliminate CSK's chances of reaching the top four. Both the management and Dhoni himself are fully aware of what that means. Nonetheless, it is a risk worth taking for an absolute legend and face of the franchise.
MORE: CSK's IPL 2026 playoff chances: Qualification scenarios, wins and points required
The Cricket News Opinion: Dhoni deserves to choose his own ending
Monday's fixture is CSK's seventh and final home game of the 2026 league stage. There is a lot at stake, but MS Dhoni deserves a last dance at Chepauk.
He has always done things on his own terms, and that is exactly how it should be with his IPL farewell too. If he plays on Monday and Chennai win, it would be the stuff of legend.
If they lose and he walks off the Chepauk turf for the last time, the ovation he receives will say everything that words cannot. Either way, the ending belongs to him.
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