MS Dhoni sparks CSK return hopes before MI tie, does wicketkeeping drills at Wankhede

MS Dhoni sparks CSK return hopes before MI tie, does wicketkeeping drills at Wankhede


MS Dhoni has reignited hope among the Chennai Super Kings as they prepare for their El Clasico clash against the Mumbai Indians. The former Indian captain has returned to the nets, this time donning the wicketkeeping gloves. Dhoni, who has been absent from the pitch this season due to a calf strain, was sidelined for the first two weeks of the tournament.

Despite his absence from matches, Dhoni has been actively training in the nets and even travelled to Hyderabad with the CSK squad for their match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. However, he did not participate in the game, leaving fans eagerly awaiting his return to the league.

On Tuesday, 21st April, CSK shared a video of Dhoni practicing in the nets with gloves on. The CSK legend appeared in high spirits, playfully mocking the batter after stumping him. The full video is available for viewing.

NO CLARITY ON DHONI’S RETURN

There is still no confirmation from CSK regarding when Dhoni will make his return to the field. Questions remain about whether Dhoni will be a regular in the starting XI or if he will be used as an impact substitute when Chennai is batting.

“Not really, I’m not sure,” said batting coach Michael Hussey when asked about Dhoni’s return. “He’s progressing nicely with his rehab, and I’m happy with how he’s batting.”

Sanjay Manjrekar has raised concerns about how CSK will manage Dhoni’s returnstating, “Maybe, but then you have to play Dhoni on the field. And how do you do that? Increasingly, he’s finding it tough to deliver. It was a bit of a joke when he came down the order to face three or four balls and the coverage hyped it up as ‘what an innings’. It lasted four balls.”

Manjrekar further added, “So that’s not feasible anymore, and it was never going to be a long-term solution. I can’t pretend to know how Ruturaj felt when M.S. was on the field but not captaining, as opposed to not being there at all.”

Dhoni has a strong record against the Mumbai Indians, having played 44 matches and scored 772 runs at an average exceeding 35.

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Published On:

Apr 21, 2026 8:37 PM IST



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