Chennai Super Kings’ MS Dhoni (PTI photo) There is still no clear timeline around MS Dhoni’s return as Chennai Super Kings continue to navigate IPL 2026 without their former skipper. Dhoni suffered a calf injury just before the start of the season and while the franchise initially hinted at a two-week recovery period, his absence has now stretched into a fourth week with no confirmed return date.There was a brief burst of optimism on Tuesday when Dhoni was seen training at the Wankhede Stadium. The seasoned wicketkeeper-batsman has spent considerable time batting in the nets and has also undergone wicket training, suggesting he could be in contention for CSK’s upcoming clash against Mumbai Indians. However, these hopes were quickly dashed.CSK bowling coach Eric Simmons addressed the media ahead of the match and made it clear that there will be no snap decision on Dhoni’s return.“MS will only play when he feels he’s ready to go and the medical team clears him, so I’m not going to make any statements while I’m sitting here,” Simmons said.The uncertainty over Dhoni’s availability comes at a time when Chennai Super Kings are already facing multiple injury setbacks. Fast bowler Khaleel Ahmed has been ruled out of the tournament with a right quadriceps injury, while top batsman Ayush Mhatre has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring problem.The franchise has yet to officially name the replacements, though there have been developments behind the scenes. Reports suggest that former Mumbai Indians pacer Akash Madhwal attended CSK’s trials in Hyderabad, while Rajvardhan Hangargekar is also believed to have attended a trial session with the team in Mumbai.These disruptions affected CSK’s campaign. The five-time champions are currently eighth in the table with two wins from four matches. After losing their opening three matches, they managed to revive their season with back-to-back home wins but slipped up again in their last game against Sunrisers Hyderabad.Their next opponents, Mumbai Indians, go into the match with renewed confidence. They sit just above CSK in seventh place and are coming off a dominant 99-run win over Gujarat Titans, giving them momentum ahead of the clash.
