After their absolute mauling of the Mumbai Indians in their previous outing, sealing a 103-run victory at Wankhede, the Chennai Super Kings return to their fortress at Chepauk with their tails up.
That win, anchored by a vintage Sanju Samson century (101 off 54), has seemingly settled the CSK ranks, moving them to 5th place in standings, but it has also deepened the mystery surrounding the man every fan in the stadium is waiting to see, MS Dhoni. Is he finally playing today against Gujarat Titans after missing seven straight matches?
MS Dhoni Not Playing Today-Reports
According to reports, no. Fans will have to wait for at least one more match to witness Thala at the crease. Despite the fact that Dhoni has reportedly regained full fitness and successfully cleared his fitness tests and was seen moving without discomfort during intensive wicketkeeping and batting drills at Chepauk on Saturday, reports from India Today claims that he is still unlikely to feature in the starting XI for the ninth consecutive match.
Why is Dhoni Not Playing Today Against GT Despite Being Fit?
Apparently, he has informed the CSK management that he does not want to disrupt a winning combination that has finally found its rhythm. With Sanju Samson in red-hot form behind the stumps and the team finally clicking, Dhoni is prioritizing team balance.Unless there is a dramatic last-minute change at the toss, Dhoni is expected to miss out today to preserve the current squad harmony.
Samson's second ton of the season against MI proved he is the perfect heir to the finisher's throne. His form perhaps makes it difficult for the management to ask him to relinquish the gloves, even for a fit Dhoni. On the other hand, Akeal Hosein's spell of 4/17 showed that CSK's bowling unit is peaking.
Currently sitting at 5th in the IPL 2026 points table, CSK have secured 3 wins from 7 matches, accumulating 6 points with a positive net run rate of +0.118. While they are outside the top four at the moment, the five-time champions are level on points with Delhi Capitals and tonight's opponents, Gujarat Titans, making today's match at Chepauk an opportunity to break into the playoff spots.