New Delhi: MS Dhoni remains absent as the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) face the Gujarat Titans (GT) in their eighth match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday, April 26. CSK is looking to continue their upward trajectory after recent successes, while GT aims to recover from two consecutive losses.
As CSK takes on GT at Chepauk, Dhoni’s name was notably missing from the lineup, with GT choosing to bowl first. Dhoni is currently recuperating from a calf injury sustained before the start of IPL 2026. Both teams made one change, with CSK introducing Urvil Patel and GT replacing Prasidh Krishna with Arshad Khan.
MS Dhoni ‘Progressing Well’: Fleming
CSK head coach Stephen Fleming provided an update on Dhoni’s recovery during a press briefing before the match, stating, “How can I forget MS [Dhoni]? He is progressing well. He is on the road to recovery and doing everything that’s being asked of him.” Notably, Dhoni was seen participating in sprints during a practice session ahead of the game, indicating he is nearing a possible return.
According to a report from the Indian Express, Dhoni has passed a fitness test but is choosing to sit out to maintain the team’s combination, which appears to be improving after a slow start to the season. CSK began the season with three consecutive losses but has since secured victories in three of their last four matches, thus rekindling hopes for a playoff qualification. Dhoni’s return may come at the expense of Kartik Sharma, the ₹14.2 crore acquisition who has yet to deliver significant performances but is viewed as a long-term asset.
GT Chooses to Bowl First
In match-related news, GT captain Shubman Gill won the toss and opted to bowl first. “We’re going to bowl first. It looks like a good wicket. On a wicket like this, it’s good to have a total on the board,” Gill remarked at the toss. He added, “It’s a bit on the drier side and more often than not, it will remain the same, so we’re batting first really well and wouldn’t mind putting on the score again and defend it.”
Responding to the toss decision, CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad said, “The confidence is high looking at the margin of the runs that we won the last game. But again, this game starts fresh, starts from zero. We have to start assessing how the pitch is, bat accordingly, and then try and defend it.”
