NEW DELHI: The atmosphere at Chepauk turned electric even before the first ball of the high-stakes IPL 2026 clash between Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad was bowled, thanks to a classic moment involving former India coach Ravi Shastri and MS Dhoni.
Shastri's Question Ignites Crowd
During the toss on Monday, Shastri sent the packed Chennai crowd into a frenzy when he cheekily asked CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad the question every fan inside the stadium wanted answered. "I have to ask you that question. MS Dhoni, where is he? Is he playing?" Shastri said as loud cheers erupted around the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
The mention of Dhoni's name triggered a deafening noise from the stands, with thousands of fans hoping the CSK legend would finally make his first appearance of IPL 2026. However, Gaikwad quickly ended the suspense. "He's still here, but he's not fit enough to play this game," the CSK captain replied, drawing a mixed reaction from the crowd.
Dhoni's Injury and Speculation
Dhoni has not featured this season due to a calf strain, although his regular appearances during training sessions have kept speculation alive regarding a possible comeback. Ahead of the match, former players including Ravichandran Ashwin had hinted that Dhoni could potentially feature as an Impact Player, while Sunil Gavaskar expressed doubts over whether the veteran would risk returning during such a crucial stage of the tournament.
Playoff Implications
The match itself carries huge playoff implications for both teams. CSK entered the contest placed sixth with six wins from 12 matches and needing victories in both remaining games to stay alive in the playoff race. SRH, meanwhile, came into the game third on the table with seven wins from 12 matches.
Team Lineups
At the toss, SRH fielded a strong XI featuring Heinrich Klaasen, Ishan Kishan and skipper Pat Cummins, while CSK handed starts to Sanju Samson, Dewald Brevis and Spencer Johnson in another must-win night at Chepauk.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan(w), Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, Smaran Ravichandran, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins(c), Shivang Kumar, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain, Praful Hinge
Sunrisers Hyderabad Impact Subs: Travis Head, Aniket Verma, Liam Livingstone, Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel
Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Sanju Samson(w), Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Prashant Veer, Akeal Hosein, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Spencer Johnson
Chennai Super Kings Impact Subs: Mukesh Choudhary, Matthew Short, Sarfaraz Khan, Aman Khan, Gurjapneet Singh
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