Chennai (MA Chidambaram Stadium): Ahead of Chennai Super Kings (CSK)’s do-or-die match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), only one question is buzzing in the cricket world – will Mahendra Singh Dhoni take the field? Fans are desperate for this last home game to be held at Chepauk Stadium, but former Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar believes that playing Dhoni in such an important match can prove to be a “big gamble” for CSK.

Shin injury and one year break
MS Dhoni was out for two weeks due to calf strain just before the start of the season, after which he has missed the entire season. Moreover, being an IPL-exclusive player, he has not played any competitive cricket for more than a year. However, according to ESPNCricinfo, Dhoni practiced hard in the nets for 30-40 minutes on Sunday, facing throwdowns and spinners, fueling speculation about his comeback.

“Dhoni is a complete team man, will not take risks” – Gavaskar
Speaking on Star Sports show ‘Cricket Live’, Sunil Gavaskar said, “The match against SRH is very important for CSK. This is their last home game in Chepauk, so the fans want to see Dhoni play. But you need players at this time who are completely match-fit and have been playing continuously for the last six weeks.”

Gavaskar further said, “Dhoni is a complete team man. I don’t think he would want to spoil the current combination which has brought success to the team this season. I would be very surprised if he plays against SRH. Bringing a player straight into such a big match who has not played for a year could be suicidal.”

Playoff mathematics for CSK
For Chennai Super Kings, both the matches against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and then Gujarat Titans (GT) are very important to remain in the race for the playoffs. Even one defeat can give a big blow to the team’s hopes.

If we look at the statistics of Dhoni’s IPL career, he has scored 5,439 runs in 278 matches at an excellent average of 38.30 and strike rate of 137.45. He is the seventh highest run scorer in IPL history. It is worth noting that Dhoni was retained by CSK before IPL 2025 for Rs 4 crore under the ‘uncapped player’ rule, and in IPL 2026 also he is a part of the team with the same salary bracket. Now it remains to be seen what decision Rituraj Gaikwad and Chennai management take in this mega match.

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