Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has claimed MS Dhoni has a ‘strong chance’ of finally featuring for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026 in the home game against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Monday (May 18). Ashwin, a CSK legend with several friends in the team, said he has ‘heard’ that Dhoni has been fit enough to start matches ‘for the last two-three games’. Dhoni picked up a calf injury during a training session before the season and was initially expected to miss only the first two weeks. However, nearly two months into the campaign, he has yet to feature in a single match. He has not travelled for away fixtures and has stayed out of CSK’s match-day squads even at home, reportedly to avoid becoming a distraction for the team. Ashwin was speaking about the need for a ‘quality pace hitter’ in the CSK lower-order and said Dhoni can fill that gap against SRH. “Even now, if we talk about a quality pace hitter, I think it’s him. Let’s see. I have a feeling that against Sunrisers Hyderabad, there is a good chance of MS Dhoni playing. Let’s wait and see how it goes. As far as I have heard, he has been ready to take the field for the last two to three games,” Ashwin said in a video on his YouTube channel. CSK head coach Stephen Fleming said earlier in the season that Dhoni suffered a setback during recovery, delaying his return further. Batting coach Michael Hussey, meanwhile, has said Dhoni is fit enough to bat but remains short of full match fitness in areas such as running and overall athleticism. There have also been indications from the CSK camp that Dhoni is wary of disrupting a settled playing XI, with the team currently in contention for the playoffs. That might have changed with CSK’s recent defeat to Lucknow Super Giants — changes of combination after a loss are more acceptable — and with just two must-win matches to go in the race for playoffs. Dhoni to retire in Chepauk? Notably, this match against SRH is CSK’s last of the IPL 2026 season in Chepauk. If Dhoni has indeed been fit and waiting for the right opportunity to return to the 11, this being his final IPL game cannot be ruled out. However, if it goes the other way, this would also not be the first time that Dhoni quashes the retirement rumors just when everyone is expecting him to hang his boots.