The high-profile IPL 2026 clash between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium will miss two of its biggest stars — MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.
Dhoni has not featured in IPL 2026 so far due to a calf injury sustained during the pre-season. Although the CSK legend has resumed training, he is yet to regain full match fitness. As per reports, he is likely to target a return against Gujarat Titans on May 21, though the final call rests with the veteran himself.
During a recent training session, Dhoni was seen keeping wickets and spending time batting in the nets. He had a short stint on Wednesday before returning later for an extended session against pacers and throwdown specialists. In a lighter moment, Dhoni was also spotted interacting playfully with the AI-powered IPL robotic dog — a reminder of his well-known love for dogs.
Rohit Sharma Still Not Fully Fit
On the other side, Mumbai Indians opener Rohit Sharma continues to miss action due to a hamstring injury suffered against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. This will be his third consecutive absence.
There had been some uncertainty around his availability until Hardik Pandya confirmed at the toss that Rohit would not be featuring. Observations from the pre-match net session suggested that Rohit is still not fully recovered — he was seen starting with light jogging before padding up, indicating he isn’t yet ready for full-intensity action.
In his absence, young batter Danish Malewar continues to retain his place in the XI despite a modest showing in the previous game.
Big Blow for Fans
The absence of both Dhoni and Rohit takes some shine off what is traditionally one of the biggest rivalries in the IPL. However, both teams will still look to make a statement as they push for momentum in IPL 2026.
