As Chennai Super Kings (CSK) prepare to host Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Chepauk today, fans of the franchise are fixated on one man who hasn’t yet set foot on the field this season. MS Dhoni has missed all 10 of CSK’s matches in IPL 2026 so far due to a persistent calf injury suffered during the pre-season.
While social media went into a frenzy this week after a video surfaced of Dhoni bowling and batting in the nets at Chepauk, batting coach Michael Hussey has urged caution, stating that the legend is not yet match-fit. Dhoni hasn’t travelled with the team to away games and has even avoided the dugout on home match days to prevent becoming a “distraction.”
Window for a potential farewell game narrowing for Dhoni
With only four league games remaining, the window for a Farewell Game is narrowing if indeed this is the last season that Dhoni plays and Ravichandran Ashwin has suggested that a return is only likely if CSK’s playoff math becomes desperate.
For Lucknow, the fitness of Josh Inglis, Mohsin Khan, and Avesh Khan remains a concern after they sat out the previous game with niggles. Captain Rishabh Pant will be desperate to find “cultural gravity” in a squad that has struggled for consistency, currently sitting at the bottom of the IPL points table.
Lucknow Super Giants, led by Rishabh Pant, arrive in Chennai with their own fitness baggage. Josh Inglis, Mohsin Khan, and Avesh Khan are all nursing minor niggles, leaving the LSG XI in a state of flux. Currently sitting at the bottom of the IPL points table, Lucknow needs a miraculous turnaround, starting tonight, to stay in the hunt.
Probable Playing 12s for CSK vs LSG
Chennai Super Kings: 1 Sanju Samson (wk), 2 Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), 3 Urvil Patel, 4 Kartik Sharma, 5 Dewald Brevis, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Jamie Overton, 8 Akeal Hosein, 9 Anshul Kamboj, 10 Noor Ahmed, 11 Mukesh Choudhary, 12 Gurjapneet Singh
Lucknow Super Giants: 1 Mitchell Marsh, 2 Josh Inglis/Arshin Kulkarni, 3 Nicholas Pooran, 4 Rishabh Pant, 5 Aiden Markram, 6 Akshat Raghuwanshi, 7 Himmat Singh, 8 Shahbaz Ahmed, 9 Mohammed Shami, 10 Prince Yadav, 11 Mohsin Khan/Mayank Yadav, 12 Digvesh Rathi