Why is MS Dhoni not Coming to Chepauk for CSK's IPL 2026 Matches? Michael Hussey Reveals Reason

MS Dhoni has missed the entire IPL 2026 season so far for Chennai Super Kings due to a recurring calf injury. The 44-year-old sustained a calf strain in pre-season training ahead of the March 2026 opener. CSK initially announced he would miss the first two weeks while undergoing rehabilitation.

A major setback occurred when Dhoni aggravated the injury by "tweaking" his calf again during a warm-up game. Head coach Stephen Fleming confirmed this publicly after CSK's defeat to Gujarat Titans on April 26, revealing the team had pushed his recovery too early. Fleming stressed caution: another full tear could rule Dhoni out for the rest of the season.

As of May 1, 2026, Dhoni has not played a single match in CSK's first eight games. He has trained with the squad, faced throwdowns, and cleared some fitness tests, but the team is prioritizing complete recovery over a rushed return. Some reports suggest he is now fit but hesitant to disrupt the settled playing XI or take a youngster's spot.

And as CSK play MI at the Chepauk on Saturday (May 2), their coach Michael Hussey revealed the reason behind Dhoni's absence. The former India captain hasn't been at the stadium on matchdays, and Hussey explained the reason behind that.

"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 sort of make. But that's the thinking behind with Dhoni not wanting to come to the matches," Hussey said on Friday.

"Obviously he's been watching very closely back home. I personally love having him around the dressing room. He offers so much wisdom. He offers so much confidence to the rest of the guys. So he's obviously at training all the time and always a bubbly personality around training and offers a lot of his experience to the players there. But it was just a case he didn't want to see himself as a distraction to the rest of the team and that's why he decided on game day just to sort of stay away," he added.

It is to be seen when the CSK legend plays a match for the team this season, but the match against Mumbai Indians is unlikely for his return it seems.