“Is he fit”? “Can he play?” “Will he actually ended up playing?” “If so, by when can we expect to see him on the ground at the earliest?” “It’s been so many days in fact weeks together that we haven’t had a sign of him, so when can we finally expect him?” Questions, there are many but answers just too few. And each of them around the persisting enigma that is Mahendra Singh Dhoni aka Mahi. Ever since the start of the IPL when it became known that MS Dhoni was injured and nowhere fit to play any time soon, legends of fans have wondered and endlessly so about when could he be seen on the cricket ground. As a matter of fact, last evening one of the biggest headlines prior to the start of the match between Chennai and Hyderabad was the fact that Dhoni could possibly play the game at Chennai.

And that if he does end up playing, it might will be the last time IPL fans would see him wearing the famous Chennai IPL jersey, which anyways would have been a very emotional moment. However, that was not true and none of it came true. The wait see MS Dhoni in action on the ground still continues and the tournament by the way has reached the end stage with only a few games left.

Suresh Raina reveals emotional conversation with MS Dhoni

Now here is a fact, if at all Dhoni does not end up playing. It will fundamentally mean that he gave IPL 2026 because of the elevated calf injury with sideline his participation. For someone who helped Chennai win five titles and reach the finals on 10 overall occasions and struck 5400+ runs unaffected 250+ dismissal from behind the terms. This is so sad.

However, to be told the sadness is even felt by his former colleague in Chennai, Suresh, Raina, and the Great left handed better to share some insights on Dhoni’s participation, rather the lack of it as seen this season. And somewhere it is on a rather emotional note.

"I told him ‘you have given IPL 2026 a missed call. It won’t count. You have to come back next year’. He said ‘my body is a little weak’ - I said ‘we are not believing anything. You have to play next year’. It’s his personal call. I think he is positive. The team is also gelling well again".