Despite a resounding 8-wicket defeat to the Gujarat Titans on April 26, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are on the right path. After losing their first three encounters of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, the 5-time champions bounced back with consecutive wins. In the next two games, they lost by just 10 runs to the Sunrisers Hyderabad and defeated arch-rivals Mumbai Indians by 103 runs.
CSK back on track
The Gujarat defeat will sting, especially since it was at home, but in general, the trajectory isn’t bad. Ruturaj Gaikwad‘s back in form. The bowling is clicking, despite Khaleel Ahmed’s injury. There’s a little work to do in the batting department since the middle order isn’t pulling its weight yet, but you’d expect Dewald Brevis and Shivam Dube to return to form soon.
“The way CSK have played in the last five matches, it has given them a little confidence. CSK’s bowling is firing; if their batting fires, they can put together three wins on the bounce. If CSK has to stay in the tournament, they have to win the next game. If you can win against MI, you can be back in the mid-table muddle. All of the matches CSK have remaining, they will be playing on good batting wickets, and even Ruturaj is back in form. Winning four of six matches is not that hard,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Notice something? Amid all of this, no one actually missed MS Dhoni. Even when CSK was losing, no one really said, ‘We need Dhoni down the order.’ All the talk was about missing his tactical acumen, which no one really has. He’s one of a kind in that department. Dhoni has been out with a calf injury. Almost every other day, we hear a new report or statement from CSK about his fitness and return date, only for it to be deferred again.
Image Credit: Vikram Chandrasekar via ZUMA Press Wire (Alamy)Is MS Dhoni even needed?
It’s clear that the CSK fandom can’t leave Dhoni behind. For a major chunk, Dhoni is CSK, and CSK is Dhoni. Without him, the franchise doesn’t have its soul. The management has leaned into this as well. Or else, why has Dhoni been playing? Last season, he batted as low as number 9 and averaged 11.15 balls per innings. For someone who’s spent more than half of his career at numbers 4 and 5, batting at a tailender’s position just doesn’t seem right.
Dhoni’s prime probably ended 10 years ago. But he was more than handy in the IPL until 2019. He’s been in decline since. But CSK, fans, and perhaps Dhoni himself aren’t ready to accept it. That’s why Dhoni’s former CSK teammate Ravichandran Ashwin has hinted that the wicketkeeper might be fit but won’t play unless CSK are knocked out of the tournament.
“If CSK gets out of the tournament, then MS Dhoni might play. CSK are still in the tournament, so why will they take the risk now? I still feel that CSK has a chance to qualify for the playoffs. But it is difficult,” Ashwin added.
A report has suggested something similar. That Dhoni doesn’t want to mess with CSK’s winning combination. But what does that tell you? Dhoni is no longer a positive for the team. He may help the franchise with ticket sales and popularity in general. But he’s a liability otherwise.
You just can’t have a wicketkeeper, who’s 44 years old, play at number 8 or 9. It’s a disservice to the fans who’ve backed the franchise even during its darkest days. But CSK has done that for years now. Mumbai moved on from Kieron Pollard, and the Kolkata Knight Riders did the same with Andre Russell, but CSK haven’t successfully managed that. Maybe they never will.
Image Credit: AP Photo/Bikas Das via AlamyHow Dhoni’s entry will skew CSK’s balance
But, deep down, they know Dhoni’s entry into the team will screw up the balance. If Dhoni comes in, one of the batters, most likely Kartik Sharma, Urvil Patel, or Sarfaraz Khan, will have to move out. All of whom can bat at various positions, but Dhoni can’t. If not them, then one of the fast bowlers, Gurjapneet Singh or Mukesh Choudhary. This will weaken the bowling.
Either way, it’ll derail the train that only got onto the track recently. Mind you, CSK hasn’t made the IPL playoffs since 2023. They finished 10th last season, with just 4 wins out of 14 matches. Irrespective of what anyone says, the management will be under pressure. Such results can’t go unpunished, especially for a franchise like CSK. It may just be true that Dhoni can play, but he isn’t.
MS Dhoni, injured or benched? Ashwin’s CSK playoffs qualification remarks spark debate Inside Sport India.
Hence then, the article about ms dhoni injured or benched ashwin s csk playoffs qualification remarks spark debate was published today ( ) and is available on Inside sport ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( MS Dhoni, injured or benched? Ashwin’s CSK playoffs qualification remarks spark debate )
Also on site :
- FFMIC 2026 Fall Season Announced Following Spring Grand Finals
- Angkrish Raghuvanshi fined by BCCI after showing dissent over obstructing the field in LSG vs KKR game
- Rookie LHP Riley Martin (elbow) sent to 15-day IL