Ruturaj Gaikwad Gives BIG Update on MS Dhoni During CSK vs KKR Toss

The Chennai Super Kings fans were once again left scanning the team sheet for one familiar name, but the wait continues. Ahead of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) clash between CSK and Kolkata Knight Riders, all eyes were on MS Dhoni's availability as he was spotted practicing in the nets ahead of the clash.

There were multiple speculations around his potential return; however, skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad stepped in at the toss to clear the air and give the update on the former captain's availability.

Is MS Dhoni Playing Today?

Fans who are wondering if MS Dhoni is playing today in the CSK vs KKR match, we have some bad news for you. Dhoni is not playing in today's match as Gaikwad confirmed at the toss that the star wicketkeeper-batter is still recovering and hasn't regained full match fitness yet. Gaikwad revealed during the toss that Chennai Super Kings are going with an unchanged team.

While Dhoni has resumed light training sessions, the team management is taking a cautious approach and doesn't want to rush him back into competitive action. The legendary CSK captain, who is amongst the best players in IPL, has been dealing with a calf strain, which has kept him out since the start of IPL 2026. Earlier, it was reported that he would miss out for the first two weeks; however, the recovery time has increased as of now.

Whom Will MS Dhoni Replace?

It is likely that MS Dhoni returns to the playing 11 in the match against SRH. However, it won't be easy for him to come back as CSK's batting order looks mostly settled. Based on current team combinations, Dhoni is likely to replace Prashant Veer, who has often been used as an impact player in some matches.

Although Prashant has shown glimpses of his batting performances, there are limited options available for the team management to include Dhoni, meaning that he may have to make space for the legend regardless.

After Dhoni's arrival, the wicketkeeping responsibility is likely to go towards MS Dhoni, which is currently being handled by Sanju Samson. Reports suggest that Samson will continue purely as a batter once Dhoni returns to the side. This will allow CSK, one of the best teams in IPL, to maintain batting depth while bringing back Dhoni's experience behind the stumps. However, it remains to be seen how much time it will take for MS Dhoni injury to recover.