Disappointment for Fans as Dhoni and Rohit Miss IPL El Clasico
Fans were left feeling disappointed as two of cricket’s biggest stars, MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma, were sidelined for the much-anticipated IPL 2026 match between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings at Wankhede Stadium on April 23.
Leading up to the match, many hoped to see at least one of these iconic players return. Unfortunately, those dreams ended when the coin was tossed.
Mumbai Indians’ captain Hardik Pandya won the toss and decided to bowl first, expressing confidence in his team’s performance. He confirmed that Mumbai would keep the same lineup that won against the Gujarat Titans just a few days earlier. This decision highlighted Rohit Sharma’s ongoing struggle with a hamstring injury, preventing him from taking the field.
On the other hand, Chennai Super Kings, under the leadership of Ruturaj Gaikwad, made one change but Dhoni remained out as he continues to recover from a calf strain sustained before the tournament began.
Both captains preferred to bowl on a pitch that appeared green but was expected to perform well. “It looks green but plays pretty well,” Hardik mentioned during the toss. Gaikwad informed that uncapped player Prashant Veer was added to the squad, although the team sheet incorrectly listed Kartik Sharma.
Rohit played the first four games this season but left during a match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru due to his injury. He has been working hard to return. Meanwhile, Dhoni has yet to play this season, though he had an intense training session earlier in the week.
Both teams have struggled at the start of the season and find themselves near the bottom of the points table. Their tactics have faced criticism, especially the Chennai Super Kings, who have lost four out of six matches. Gaikwad has felt the pressure of a dip in form, compounded by injuries to teammates Ayush Mhatre and Khaleel Ahmed.
Mumbai Indians XI: Quinton de Kock (wk), Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (capt), Sherfane Rutherford, Mitchell Santner, Krish Bhagat, Jasprit Bumrah, AM Ghazanfar, Ashwani Kumar
Chennai Super Kings XI: Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), Sanju Samson (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Jamie Overton, Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Gurjapneet Singh, Mukesh Choudhary
As fans look forward to more action in the IPL, the anticipation continues to build for the return of beloved players like Dhoni and Rohit.
