4 min readChennaiUpdated: May 21, 2026 11:26 AM IST
With the thumb injury yet to heal, MS Dhoni has headed home to Ranchi even as Chennai Super Kings get ready to take on a crucial fixture against Gujarat Titans on Thursday. With CSK’s chances of making the play-offs appearing slim, the IPL 2026 marks the first edition of the tournament where Dhoni hasn’t played a single game and puts a question mark around his future.
“I can confirm Dhoni is not here (Ahmedabad) with the team, but if we do happen to qualify, he’ll definitely join back up with the squad. He’s got a bit of a sore thumb. He’s recovering nicely, but he won’t be ready for this match. If we manage to get through to the playoffs, hopefully he’ll be alright,” Hussey said.
Having been ruled out at the start of the season for two weeks due to a calf injury, Dhoni then decided to sit out of the matches after regaining fitness because he did’t want to take a spot of Kartik Sharma, who is being groomed for the next season. But with the injuries mounting in the camp and around the time Jamie Overton left home with a thigh injury, a spot had open up and Dhoni was supposed to travel to Lucknow for their away fixture.
However a thumb injury that Dhoni sustained in the practice session ruled him out. Though he tried to get into the XII for their last home match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, when their qualification fate was in their own hands, he pulled out because he wasn’t 100 per cent fit.
Having not chosen to travel to any of the venues on match days, Dhoni made a rare appearance at the Chepauk on Monday. Though he left the team hotel with the rest of the players, he made his entry into the field only during the innings break for a team photograph. And once the match was over, an emotional Dhoni took a lap of honour with the rest of the players and support staff.
While Dhoni has been at thick of planning and preparation, according to those in the know, this season he has detached himself from it and leaving it to head coach Stephen Fleming and captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. At the same time, during the net sessions, Dhoni had taken the job of grooming Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer – two young players who were bought at Rs 14.2 crore each.
But beyond that Dhoni has preferred to stay behind the scenes. After the defeat to Hyderabad, Fleming was asked if there had been any talks with the former captain on the next season, and the Kiwi’s response was brief. “No. we’re working through this one,” Fleming said.
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For a franchise that is known to start looking ahead mid-way through the season, Fleming’s response appeared strange. And according to those in the know, Dhoni seems to have been excited by the prospect of playing this season, mostly as an Impact Player as Sanju Samson had been lined-up behind the stumps. But because of the twin injuries he didn’t manage to play a single game and with Dhoni to turn 45 shortly, whether he would come back next season as a player remains anybody’s guess as he hasn’t informed of his plans to the franchise.
