GT Vs CSK, IPL 2026: Will MS Dhoni Play Today In Super Kings' Do-Or-Die Clash?

Chennai Super Kings' playoff hopes took a massive dent as they lost their last two crucial league matches. Their hopes will still hang by a thread if they win their last league match against the in-form Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, on Thursday, May 21.

CSK are currently placed in the 7th spot in the points table with 12 points in 13 matches, and they need to win their last league game to stay in the playoff hunt and wish for other results to fall in their favor.

Even if the former five-time champions win against them, they would want PBKS, KKR, and RR to lose their last games and hope that the margin of their victory and RR's loss is enough to get their NRR above that of RR.

CSK's campaign has been marred by injuries to some of their key players throughout the tournament, including the talismanic MS Dhoni, who was first forced out due to calf strain and is now set to miss the must-win encounter against GT due to a thumb injury.

According to a report by ESPN Cricinfo, Dhoni has already left the CSK camp for Ranchi due to injury and would rejoin the squad against, if the Yellow Army somehow manage to qualify for the playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Shubman Gill-led Gujarat Titans, who are currently sitting in the second spot with 16 points, have already qualified for the playoffs, but still, they have a stiff fight with RCB and SRH for the top two spots, as it would give both teams a chance to falter in the business end of the tournament.

GT Vs CSK, IPL 2026: Squads

Chennai Super Kings: Sanju Samson(w), Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Prashant Veer, Akeal Hosein, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Spencer Johnson, Mukesh Choudhary, Matthew Short, Sarfaraz Khan, Aman Khan, Gurjapneet Singh, Akash Madhwal, Zakary Foulkes, MS Dhoni, Matt Henry, Shreyas Gopal, Rahul Chahar, Kuldip Yadav, Macneil Noronha, Dian Forrester

Gujarat Titans: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill(c), Jos Buttler(w), Nishant Sindhu, Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Arshad Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Mohammed Siraj, Rahul Tewatia, Glenn Phillips, Anuj Rawat, Prasidh Krishna, Kulwant Khejroliya, Ishant Sharma, Jayant Yadav, Luke Wood, Shahrukh Khan, Manav Suthar, Kumar Kushagra, Gurnoor Brar, Ashok Sharma, Connor Esterhuizen