MS Dhoni Set to Miss CSK vs DC Clash in IPL 2026; Return Date Still Uncertain

Chennai Super Kings will again miss MS Dhoni in their next match against Delhi Capitals on May 6 in the Indian Premier League 2026. Dhoni is still recovering from a calf injury and has not played any matches this season. Ahead of the DC vs CSK match, it has been confirmed that Dhoni will miss the contest, and it remains uncertain as to when he will return to action.

As per Cricbuzz, MS Dhoni has not travelled with the Chennai Super Kings squad to New Delhi and is continuing his rehabilitation in Chennai. A CSK official told the publication that the 44-year-old is expected to be available for selection at sometime in the near future, an ambiguous statement which has sparked speculation among fans if Thala’s retirement will come sooner than expected.

MS Dhoni likely to miss Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals; return uncertain

It is pertinent to point out that while MSD has trained with the team, seen keeping wickets in the nets and batting as well, he has confined himself to the hotel room during the IPL 2026 matches, as he is yet to be declared fully fit.

“He should be available at some stage,” a senior CSK official told the publication.

Last week, Michael Hussey said that MS Dhoni has been staying away from match venues to avoid distracting the team.

The Chennai Super Kings batting coach added that Dhoni, being a team-first person, did not want all the attention on him and therefore chose not to be in the dugout during matches.

“He’s such a team-orientated guy. He always wants what’s best for the team and he was worried that if he came there’d be a bit too much of a distraction. Obviously the cameras would be on him a lot. The crowd would be cheering for him and things like that. And he really wanted the team to just be able to go about their job, do our thing. Whether that’s right or wrong, that’s not my decision to sort of make. But that’s the thinking behind with Dhoni not wanting to come to the matches,” Hussey said.