New Delhi: MS Dhoni Yet to appear in any IPL 2026 match. Fans are eagerly waiting for their superstar to return to the arena. He is nursing a calf strain he picked up just before the tournament began late last month, and expectations are high among fans ahead of Chennai Super Kings’ clash against Mumbai Indians at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.The day before the game, Dhoni lit up the stadium as cameramen, ground staff and crew members were treated to its lighter side. He was seen playing with robot dog “Champak” during a practice session at the Wankhede Stadium.Dhoni, who has led CSK to five IPL titles, had a rigorous training session on Tuesday where he took wickets and later batted in the nets.On Wednesday, he initially had a short session before taking a break, later returning for about an hour to face throwdown specialists and fast bowlers.After the session, Dhoni – known to be a dog lover – was seen playing with the AI-powered IPL robotic dog, spending a few moments interacting with it.He tried to get the robot to mimic his gestures, though there were instances when he couldn’t respond.So far, CSK have won just two of their six IPL 2026 matches, including a 10-run loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), and are currently eighth on the points table.Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin believes that Dhoni is likely to feature in the clash against Mumbai Indians.Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said that Dhoni’s presence in training indicated that he could take up wicket-keeping duties, possibly replace Sanju Samson, or be used as an impact player.Ashwin expressed confidence that Dhoni is fit and ready, adding that his experience and finishing ability could be crucial for CSK, especially after their struggles to close games.He emphasized that Dhoni’s power hitting in the death overs makes him a key asset in tight situations.Dhoni had his first wicket-keeping session of IPL 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday. The 44-year-old has been ruled out of CSK’s first six matches while recovering from a calf strain.“I have never seen MS Dhoni keeping wickets in the nets. It means he (Sanju) Samson will keep. Or he can be used as an impact player. I am 100% sure he will play (against Mumbai Indians). I heard he is fit and good to go,” Ashwin Kay said on his YouTube channel.“See against SRH, CSK was unable to finish the game. So if you need 15 off 5 balls, Dhoni can do it. He can hit sixes till the end,” Ashwin added.
