NEW DELHI: MS Dhoni has not yet played a match in IPL 2026, but fans are eagerly awaiting his return. He has been recovering from a calf strain sustained just before the tournament began. Anticipation is high ahead of Chennai Super Kings' clash against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday.
Dhoni's light-hearted moment with robot dog
A day before the game, Dhoni entertained camerapersons, groundstaff, and crew members by playing with the AI-powered robot dog named 'Champak' during a practice session. Known for his love of dogs, Dhoni spent a few moments interacting with the robot, trying to get it to mimic his gestures, though it sometimes failed to respond.
Training session details
On Tuesday, Dhoni had an intense training session where he kept wickets and batted in the nets. On Wednesday, he initially had a brief session, then returned for nearly an hour to face throwdown specialists and fast bowlers. This was his first wicketkeeping session of the season.
CSK have won only two of their six IPL 2026 matches, currently sitting eighth on the points table. Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin believes Dhoni is likely to feature against Mumbai Indians.
Ashwin's analysis
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said Dhoni's presence in training indicates he could take up wicketkeeping duties, possibly replacing Sanju Samson, or be used as an Impact Player. 'I am 100 per cent sure he will play. I've heard he's fit and good to go,' Ashwin said.
Ashwin highlighted Dhoni's power-hitting in the death overs as a key asset, especially after CSK's struggles to close out games. 'If you need 15 off 5 deliveries, Dhoni can do the job. He can hit sixes towards the end,' he added.
