Chennai Super Kings (CSK) may have suffered a big blow ahead of their must-win clash, as legendary figure MS Dhoni has reportedly left the team camp and returned home to Ranchi. With the Super Kings scheduled to face Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in a critical match to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, the news confirms that the 44-year-old veteran will not be available to support the team from the dugout.
Dhoni's status has kept fans waiting since before the 2026 season even began. At the start of the tournament, it was revealed that he was nursing a calf strain, which forced him to sit out the initial matches. However, as the weeks progressed, the former skipper was seen actively batting, wicketkeeping, and even bowling during practice sessions, raising hopes of a return. Despite this, the team management chose not to slot him into the playing XI.
MS Dhoni returns to Ranchi
Speculation reached a peak ahead of the recent match against the SunRisers Hyderabad, as Dhoni not only traveled with the squad but the fixture also marked CSK's final home game of the league season. However, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad dashed those expectations at the toss by announcing that Dhoni was still unfit to play. With his departure for Ranchi, this is now highly likely to become the first season in IPL history where Dhoni does not feature in a single match.
According to a report by ESPNCricinfo, MS Dhoni has departed the Chennai camp and returned to his hometown of Ranchi. However, the door isn't completely closed on a return this season, as the veteran keeper will reportedly rejoin the Super Kings under one specific condition: if the team somehow manages to defy the odds and qualify for the IPL 2026 playoffs.
"MS Dhoni has returned home to Ranchi from Chennai. He won't be in Ahmedabad for CSK's final league fixture tomorrow. He will, however, rejoin the squad if the stars align and they make the playoffs," the report read.
CSK's playoff hopes hangs by threat
That road to the postseason has become an incredibly steep uphill battle. Following their defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on May 18, the highest total the five-time champions can accumulate is 14 points, making a victory over Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad an absolute necessity. Even if they reach 14 points, the Yellow Army requires an intricate matrix of external results to go their way. They originally needed the Rajasthan Royals to lose their remaining fixtures, the Lucknow Super Giants to defeat the Punjab Kings, and a highly specific sequence of outcomes involving the Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals.
However, Chennai's playoff mathematical probabilities took a massive hit on Wednesday. The Rajasthan Royals defeated LSG to reach 14 points, firmly placing themselves as frontrunners alongside the Punjab Kings to secure that final postseason spot. With the window rapidly closing for the Super Kings, they must now take care of business against the Titans and hope for a near-miraculous collapse from the teams sitting above them.