Former India and Chennai Super Kings spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has cast serious doubt on MS Dhoni’s return to CSK in IPL 2026, suggesting that the franchise legend may only make a farewell appearance if the side is out of the play-off contention. Dhoni has not played a single match this season due to a calf strain, while Chennai have slowly rediscovered their form in his absence.
On May 5, ČSK strengthened its hopes for the playoffs with a comfortable win over Delhi Capitals in New Delhicontinuing the strong run even without Dhoni in the playing XI. Speaking on his YouTube channel after the match, Ashwin admitted that Chennai’s current record makes it difficult for the former captain to make a direct return to the side.
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“If MS Dhoni comes, then the combination will change. It will be very difficult, so I think the chances (of a comeback) are very slim,” Ashwin said.
“If they lose two of their next three games, he could get a bye game in Chennai.
The timing of Ashwin’s comments makes the interview even more interesting. For the first time in a while, CSK look truly settled without constantly waiting for an update on Dhoni’s availability.
WHY MS DHONI IS NOT PLAYING IPL 2026?
Dhoni has yet to play a single match in IPL 2026 after suffering a calf strain before the start of the season.
While CSK have repeatedly claimed that the former skipper could return at some stage, The 39-year-old has largely stayed away from match days despite occasional training in nets.
In the early stage of the season, Chennai looked balanced without him. But in the last few games it started to click.
The batting has found a rhythm, the bowling attack looks more balanced and the likes of Sanju Samson have made massive strides during the middle phase of the campaign.
This is precisely why Ashwin feels that changing the current combination may not make much sense now.
Adding Dhoni back to the XI would probably force CSK to reshuffle either their batting structure or their overseas balance at a stage when the team finally seems comfortable.
CAN CSK QUALIFY FOR IPL 2026 PLAYOFF?
A few weeks ago, CSK looked completely out of the playoffs.
Now suddenly things look completely different.
Tuesday’s win over Delhi took Chennai to 10 points from 10 matches, leaving them just two points behind the cluster of teams that sit between second and fifth in the table.
More importantly, CSK’s next two matches are against the bottom side Lucknow Super Giants, first at home on May 10 and then away on May 15.
This gives Chennai a real opportunity to build momentum at exactly the right time of the season.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
06 May 2026 14:23 IST
