Chennai Super Kings’ MS Dhoni (PTI Photo) Bombay: Are legendary captain MS Dhoni and England’s star all-rounder Will Jacks set to return to action in the Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings clash at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday night? After days of anticipation, it could be.Dhoni trained intensively at the CSK nets in Wankhede on Tuesday evening. Notably, he kept wickets for about half an hour and also batted for about 30 minutes. The 44-year-old, who suffered a calf strain during preseason camp, was seen hitting the ball smoothly without any visible discomfort. However, Dhoni also trained with the CSK squad in Chennai earlier. CSK are currently eighth in the IPL 2026 table with two wins and four losses. His potential return would add valuable depth to their batting line-up.
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IPL 2026: RR assistant coach Vikram Rathour speaks after loss to KKRMeanwhile, Jacks has finally arrived in India after missing MI’s first six matches. The England star, who was the standout player at the 2026 T20 World Cup with four Player of the Match awards, trained in MI’s nets at the Wankhede between 5pm and 6pm on Monday and also took part in an optional lights-out session on Tuesday. The 27-year-old off-spinner bowled in the nets and batted for almost an hour. His arrival is a big boost for MI, whose campaign has regained momentum after a dominant 99-run win over Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Monday night.Jacks’ arrival was delayed due to undisclosed reasons, with the MI management refraining from revealing the details of his absence during the first three weeks of IPL 2026. His presence was eagerly awaited by both the management and the fans.A powerful middle-order batsman and a capable spinner, Jacks strengthens both departments for MI. His inclusion could force the team to miss out on one of their overseas spinners – Allah Ghazanfar or Mitchell Santner.After delivering some useful cameos at No.6 and No.7 for England during the T20 World Cup, Jacks also offers MI a reliable finishing option.Spencer Johnson joins the CSK squadAnother signing for CSK was Australian pacer Spencer Johnson, who was signed as a replacement for Nathan Ellis and joined the squad in Mumbai on Tuesday ahead of the marquee clash. The left-hander has been training with the squad at the Wankhede and is expected to feature in the playing XI on Thursday night, likely to replace Khaleel Ahmed, who was ruled out through injury last week.Injuries significantly disrupted ČSK’s campaign after a slow start. In their previous match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, young batsman Ayush Mhatre suffered a hamstring injury, ruling him out of the rest of IPL 2026.
