New Delhi: Former Indian spinner… Ravichandran Ashwin MS Dhoni’s return has been ruled out. Chennai Super KingsBig Clash of IPL 2026 Mumbai Indians Saturday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Dhoni has not played a single match this season as he recovers from a shin injury, and fans were hoping that he would finally return for one of the tournament’s biggest rivalries.
Earlier, CSK’s batting coach Michael Hussey had said that Dhoni was “quite close” to a comeback, adding to the excitement among supporters.However, Ashwin believes that the former India captain is unlikely to feature in the match. He also believes that Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma, who is recovering from a hamstring injury, may not be available. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said, “I don’t know about Rohit Sharma, but Dhoni will not play 100 per cent, I don’t think so. He can surprise because he is that kind of guy, but I don’t think Dhoni will play.”“I think Rohit won’t play either, but it’s a good chance for Suryakumar Yadav to come back to form because he won’t get a better wicket to bat on,” he added. Ashwin believes that the Chepak pitch could be perfect for batting, giving struggling batsmen like Surya Kumar a strong chance to regain confidence.
Ashwin supported Sarfraz Khan at No.3.
Apart from discussing injuries, Ashwin also shared his thoughts on Chennai Super Kings’ batting order. He said CSK should continue to give Sarfraz Khan a fixed role at No. 3 after Ayush Mahatre is out of the tournament due to injury. According to Ashwin, Sarfraz has been one of Chennai’s best performers this season and deserves stability in the line-up.“I’m just saying one thing, Chennai should lock Sarfraz Khan at No. 3. Don’t affect him because he has been your best batsman this season apart from Sanju Samson. So keep him at No. 3,” Ashwin said.
