Ruturaj Gaikwad Issues Official Statement On MS Dhoni's IPL Future

MS Dhoni in action (Source: AFP Photos)

MS Dhoni is yet to be in action in the ongoing IPL edition, leaving his ardent fans waiting. On Sunday, fans finally got something official on MS Dhoni’s IPL future, as CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad broke the silence during the RCB vs CSK toss at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

After a slight banter between RCB captain Rajat Patidar and his counterpart Ruturaj Gaikwad, CSK captain confirmed that MS Dhoni is on a mission to return to IPL in the ongoing edition. 

However, it will be a longer process than they expected, though his IPL return date is not too far away.

When Will MS Dhoni Play For CSK In IPL 2026?

As Dhoni is one of the four players (along with Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Manish Pandey) who have been part of IPL since the inaugural edition in 2008, fans eagerly wait to see their beloved Thala back in action, even at the age of 44.

And Gaikwad assured Dhoni fans that the day is not far away either.

"He’s (MS Dhoni) getting back on track slowly. We all hope he returns soon. He’s eager to play, but it takes time," Ruturaj Gaikwad said during the RCB vs CSK toss.

Also Read: When Was The Last Time MS Dhoni Missed An IPL Match vs RCB?

Furthermore, Gaikwad spoke about CSK's dismal start in IPL 2026. The five-time champions are yet to taste the victory this year, having lost to Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) in back-to-back fixtures.

"The first game was disappointing, but in the second game, we improved in both batting and bowling. There were a few execution errors, but overall, it gave us confidence going into this game," Gaikwad added.

At this moment, CSK are at the bottom of the IPL points table, with two defeats in two matches at a net run rate of -2.562. RCB, on the other hand, are on 2 points after one match, with a net run rate of +2.907.

MS Dhoni's Record Vs RCB

Dhoni has been exceptionally well when it comes to facing RCB in IPL. He has a tally of 906 runs against RCB, averaging 39.39 at a strike rate of 143.13.

Notably, MS Dhoni’s most number of sixes came against a single opposition in IPL, which was RCB, against whom he smashed 50 maximums.

MS Dhoni's Injury History

Dhoni picked up a calf injury just before IPL 2026 and has been recovering since then. Unfortunately, he is yet to get a minute this season, although he was seen in good rhythm during CSK’s training sessions.

In Dhoni’s absence, newly-joined Sanju Samson, India’s recent T20 World Cup-winning campaign’s hero, has been keeping wickets for CSK.

When Dhoni comes back, Samson, in all likelihood, will play as an impact substitute. Not to forget, Kartik Sharma can keep wickets as well.

Also Read: "IPL Over"- Twitter In Proper Meltdown As MS Dhoni Gets Ruled Out For CSK