According to Michael Hussey, batting coach of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Mahendra Singh Dhoni has decided not to attend IPL 2026 games in order to maintain team focus.
Due to a calf injury, Dhoni has not played in any games this season.
Dhoni was worried that his presence would detract from the players, according to Hussey. He believed the squad might be distracted by the audience’s response and the camera’s attention.
Hussey claims that Dhoni wanted the team to continue without more pressure or attention.
“He’s such a team-oriented guy, MS Dhoni. He always wants what’s best for the team, and he was worried that if he came, there’d be a bit too much of a distraction. Obviously, the cameras would be on him a lot. The crowd would be cheering for him and things like that.”
“And he really wanted the team to just be able to go about their job, do our thing. Whether that’s right or wrong, that’s not my decision to sort of make, but that’s the thinking behind with Dhoni not wanting to come to the matches,” Hussey stated the night before CSK’s pivotal match against Mumbai Indians in Chennai.
Dhoni has participated in practice sessions since joining the team in March, but he has not yet participated in a game.
Hussey stated that the former captain is making good progress and has begun to increase the intensity of his running, which was the primary focus during his recuperation.
Dhoni’s batting and wicketkeeping skills are undeniable, according to Hussey, but he won’t make a comeback until he is fully confident in his condition.
He said that if Dhoni is satisfied with his recuperation, he might return in the upcoming game or soon after.
“Hopefully, he’ll be back as soon as possible. I don’t know if it’s tomorrow or maybe the next match after that, but he’s progressing really well. I know he’s been upping his running speeds, and that was probably the sticking point.”
“I think we’re very confident from a skill perspective with his batting and his wicketkeeping, but it was just making sure that he could maintain good running power, particularly towards the back end of an inning, where he’s going to have to scan for those and twos. So as soon as he’s got the confidence in his calf, then I’m sure he’ll give it the tick to be ready to go,” Hussey added.
