IPL 2026: MS Dhoni ruled out of CSK's last league match due to thumb injury
MS Dhoni (Source: Getty Images)
Published - 20 May 2026, 08:17 PM• Read time - 2 mins
Legendary wicketkeeper batter MS Dhoni will not feature in Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) last fixture of the Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026) against Gujarat Titans (GT) on Thursday, May 21, at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. CSK batting coach Michael Hussey confirmed Dhoni’s unavailability for the final league game, revealing that he’s suffering from a thumb injury.
Hussey also informed that Dhoni has returned to his hometown in Ranchi and will rejoin the team if CSK qualify for the playoffs. If CSK get knocked out after their last league game, it will be the first time that Dhoni won’t play a single match of an IPL season, having been part of the tournament since the inaugural edition in 2008.
"I can confirm he (Dhoni) is not here with the team, but if we do happen to qualify, then he will definitely join back up with the team. He has got a bit of a sore thumb, so it is recovering nicely, but he would not be ready for this match. But hopefully, if we can manage to get through to the playoffs, then hopefully he will be alright,” said Hussey in the pre-match press conference.
Dhoni was ruled out of the first half of IPL due to a calf strain, before his injury was further aggravated. He didn’t travel with the team for most of their away fixtures and even stayed at the hotel on match days.
He came to the ground for their last home fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and took a lap with the team after the match, thanking fans for the support throughout the season.
CSK in a do-or-die situation
Meanwhile, CSK go into their final league fixture in a must-win situation, as a loss will knock them out of the playoffs race. The Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side is placed sixth on the IPL 2026 points table with six wins from 13 matches, having 12 points to their name.
They desperately need to win their last fixture and also hope that all of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) lose all of their remaining games. In such a scenario, CSK will progress ahead if they finish with a better net run rate than Rajasthan.
