Following an absence that spanned six matches, MS Dhoni appears to be nearing a return to the field. He is likely to resume his wicketkeeping duties when Chennai Super Kings face off against Mumbai Indians on April 23. This news comes after the legendary captain and wicketkeeper-batter demonstrated significantly improved fitness levels during a training session at the Wankhede Stadium on April 21.
Training Details and Team Impact
Extensive Drills: MS Dhoni was observed practicing his wicketkeeping for approximately 40 minutes and followed this with a net session for nearly an hour.
Wicketkeeping Practice: During the session, he kept wickets for Sarfaraz Khan and Urvil Patel.
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Squad Changes: With Ayush Mhatre officially ruled out for the rest of the season, Urvil Patel is expected to receive an opportunity in the lineup. There is also speculation regarding whether Sarfaraz Khan will be promoted to the number 3 position in the batting order.
Batting Preparation: Dhoni engaged with the CSK bowlers before moving to throwdowns. While he had participated in throwdowns previously, this marked his first session nearing a full hour of batting.
Context of the CSK vs MI Clash
Both Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians have struggled this season, each managing only two victories from six games. CSK currently occupies the eighth spot on the points table with a negative net run rate. Mumbai Indians, despite having an identical win-loss record, hold a superior NRR primarily due to a 99 run victory over the Gujarat Titans on April 20.
CSK’s recent struggles were evident in their match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, where the team lacked a definitive finisher. A slow performance from Matthew Short left Shivam Dube and Jamie Overton with a target that proved too difficult to chase. A return for the 44 year old Dhoni could provide the late innings cameos necessary to boost the team’s performance.
Mumbai Indians Receive Squad Reinforcements
Mumbai Indians are also set to receive a significant boost as England star Will Jacks has officially joined the squad. Jacks is expected to be available for the match on April 23 after missing the initial six games for personal reasons.
Jacks offers versatility to the MI lineup. If Rohit Sharma is unavailable for the CSK match, Jacks could potentially open the batting with Quinton de Kock. Alternatively, he can serve as a middle order option, a role he performed successfully during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. His bowling is another asset, as he earned four “player of the match” awards during the recent World Cup and was a key figure in England’s journey to the semifinals.
Predicted 11
Danish Malewar, Quinton de Kock (wk), Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (c), Tilak Varma, Will Jacks, Mitchell Santner, Krish Bhagat, Jasprit Bumrah, AM Ghazanfar, Ashwani Kumar (Impact)
Chennai Super Kings
Sanju Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Sarfaraz Khan, Shivam Dube, Dewald Brevis, Jamie Overton, Akeal Hosein, Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary, Gurjapneet Singh, MS Dhoni (Impact)
