New Delhi: MS Dhoni was not in the playing XI as the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) locked horns with the Gujarat Titans (GT) in their eighth league match at the Chepauk in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 on Sunday, March 26. Dhoni remained on the bench for CSK despite reports that the former captain has returned to full fitness, having cleared all fitness tests after recovering from his calf strain.
Dhoni’s return has been one of the major talking points surrounding CSK’s campaign in the IPL 2026 so far, ever since the legendary wicket-keeper was sidelined with a calf strain. Dhoni sustained the injury ahead of the start of the season and has not featured in any of CSK’s first eight games. The 44-year-old has been a regular presence in the team’s training sessions and nets, but has yet to play in the IPL 2026.
Dhoni had a full-fledged batting session and wicketkeeping drills in the nets ahead of CSK’s last game against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai earlier this week. However, he didn’t feature in the game as CSK went with Kartik Sharma in the lower middle order. Kartik retained his place in the playing XI against GT on Sunday in the absence of the former captain.
Urvil Patel replaces Sarfaraz Khan in CSK’s playing XI:
While Dhoni’s return was delayed, Chennai Super Kings made a solitary change in their playing XI against the Gujarat Titans after their thumping 103-run victory against arch-rivals Mumbai Indians in their last game. CSK included hard-hitting wicket-keeper batter Urvil Patel in place of Sarfaraz Khan. Urvil is likely to bat at no.3 against GT.
CSK’s playing XI against Gujarat Titans:
Sanju Samson (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Urvil Patel, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Jamie Overton, Akeal Hosein, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh
More to follow…