MS Dhoni is ‘worried’ that coming to Chennai Super Kings (CSK)’s matches in IPL 2026 would be ‘too much of a distraction’ for the team, according to the team’s batting coach Michael Hussey. Dhoni has not
played at all in IPL 2026 due to a calf injury he suffered before the season, and, despite traveling around the country with the squad, he has remained back in the hotel on match days.
Hussey said that even he prefers Dhoni coming with the squad and staying around the dressing room to offer his ‘wisdom’ and ‘confidence to the rest of the guys’, but respects the legend’s call.
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“He’s such a team-orientated guy,” Hussey said in the press conference before the Mumbai Indians clash on Saturday. “He always wants what’s best for the team and he was worried that if he came there’d be a bit too much of a distraction. Obviously the cameras would be on him a lot. The crowd would be cheering for him and things like that. And he really wanted the team to just be able to go about their job, do our thing. Whether that’s right or wrong, that’s not my decision to make. But that’s the thinking behind with Dhoni not wanting to come to the matches,” he added.
He has been duly attending the training — Hussey called him a ‘bubbly personality’ — and was seen having a chat with MI captain Hardik Pandya on Friday.
MS Dhoni to play against the Mumbai Indians?
Hussey maintained his earlier stance that the only thing between Dhoni and a return to playing 11 is his running fitness because he’s fit enough to bat and keep wickets. However, the batting coach didn’t rule out a comeback against MI or the Delhi Capitals on May 5.
“I don’t know if it’s tomorrow or maybe the next match after that but he’s progressing really well,” Hussey said. “I know he’s been upping his running speeds and that was probably the sticking point. I think we’re very confident from a skill perspective with his batting and his wicketkeeping. But it was just making sure that he could maintain good running power particularly towards the back end of an innings where he’s going to have to scamper those ones and twos. So as soon as he’s got the confidence in his calf then I’m sure he’ll give it the tick to ready to go. And so we’re kind of guided by him at the moment. But we’re waiting. I think all of Chennai’s waiting. All the fans are waiting and hoping.”
