Chennai Super Kings’ legendary captain MS Dhoni remains sidelined as the team prepares for their IPL 2026 match against the Lucknow Super Giants at Chepauk.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) legend MS Dhoni continues to be absent from the squad as captain Ruturaj Gaikwad confirmed that the team will field an unchanged lineup in their IPL 2026 match against the Lucknow Super Giants at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, commonly known as Chepauk. Reports indicate that Dhoni was not seen on the ground ahead of this crucial match on Sunday afternoon.
Despite having participated in all previous 18 seasons of the IPL, Dhoni has yet to take the field this season. His absence means he will not join the ranks of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Manish Pandey, who have played in at least one match in all 19 editions of the tournament. Dhoni’s ongoing calf injury has kept him out of action, and while he was expected to return for the latter part of the season, the Super Kings’ management has chosen to keep him sidelined for now.
Dhoni has been seen batting and keeping during practice sessions, suggesting he is making progress towards a return. However, the decision to exclude him from the lineup remains with the team’s management. Ahead of the match against the Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, CSK’s bowling coach Eric Simons commented on Dhoni’s condition, stating, “Update on MS Dhoni is way above my pay grade. He’s not with us (in Delhi), but steadily improving. He’ll be ready when he’s ready, and he knows when he’s ready to play.”
As for the current standings, the Chennai Super Kings are positioned sixth in the points table, having secured five wins alongside five losses. They face a challenging road ahead if they hope to qualify for the playoffs. Conversely, the Lucknow Super Giants find themselves at the bottom of the table, with only three victories in ten matches. A loss to CSK would effectively eliminate their chances of making the playoffs, and even winning all their remaining games may not guarantee a spot in the top four.
Despite their struggles, both teams are coming off victories in their previous matches, adding an element of excitement to this upcoming clash.
For more details on the IPL 2026 points table, including the recent performance of the Gujarat Titans, visit The Sunday Guardian.