'He has started batting' - Former CSK star shares valuable insights into MS Dhoni's return to IPL 2026

Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star Subramaniam Badrinath has claimed that even the team management does not have a clue about MS Dhoni’s much-awaited return to the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL). 

CSK are four games into the 2026 IPL season, but the former India skipper is yet to feature for the five-time champions. Dhoni, who turns 45 later this year, is currently nursing a calf injury, which is why he is absent from the showpiece tournament. 

Badrinath has revealed that Dhoni is currently closely assessed ahead of his return to the CSK setup. The former player also stated that the 44-year-old wicketkeeper does not want to take the limelight away from the team, which is why he is not travelling with the rest of the squad.

"It's a million-dollar question on whether MS Dhoni will return against KKR. He has started batting, and the team management themselves aren't sure about his return, which Sridharan Sriram told me. He is being assessed day by day on his likely return. Dhoni is probably not coming to the ground to ensure the attention doesn't fall on him,” Badrinath said on his YouTube channel.

Prior to the start of the 2026 IPL season, CSK announced that Dhoni would miss the first two weeks of the tournament. Despite being two weeks into the IPL, there is still no news surrounding the legendary wicketkeeper’s return. 

CSK have struggled in Dhoni’s absence. The Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side suffered three consecutive defeats to start the tournament. They did, however, pick up their maiden win of the season in their fourth match - against the Delhi Capitals at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, winning the contest by 23 runs. The 2023 champions' next game is on Tuesday, April 14, against the Kolkata Knight Riders.

There are question marks on whether the 2026 IPL season could be Dhoni’s last. The Super Kings have already started planning for life after their superstar, signing Sanju Samson from the Rajasthan Royals in a trade deal, seeing him as a long-term wicketkeeping replacement. The right-handed batter finally came good in a yellow jersey, scoring an unbeaten 115 against DC to help his side to their maiden victory.