As the clock neared 6.30 PM, a fully padded-up MS Dhoni ambled out of the MA Chidambaram Stadium dressing room. Following a brief warm-up session inside the indoor facility, notably without a physio accompanying him this time, the 44-year-old went through several stretching drills before waiting close to 15 minutes for his opportunity to bat.
He trained in the nets alongside Prashant Veer for nearly half an hour, first taking on the throwdown experts and later the spinners. Once the clock hit 7.30 PM, he quietly headed back into the dressing room.
As Chennai Super Kings gear up to face Sunrisers Hyderabad in their last home outing of the season, the question echoing not only around Chepauk but across the country still lingers. Will MS Dhoni take the field on Monday? After spending a prolonged spell away from action — initially because of injury and later to avoid displacing Kartik Sharma — it seemed as though Chennai had accepted the possibility of Dhoni stepping away.
Yet, a statement he made back in 2021 has reignited optimism ahead of the clash. “I have always planned my cricket. The last ODI that I played in India was in Ranchi. Hopefully, my last T20 will be in Chennai. Whether it’s next year or in five years’ time, I don’t know,” he had remarked.
The possibility of a farewell appearance for MS Dhoni, with Chennai’s playoff aspirations hinging on this must-win encounter, has once again pushed ticket demand sharply upward. Throughout the season — except for the fixture against Mumbai Indians which saw a packed stadium — a few hundred seats at Chepauk had remained vacant. Black-market ticket activity too had been comparatively subdued this year. However, for Monday’s game, the frenzy has returned with prices and demand soaring.
Dhoni himself has intensified the suspense. Until now, he had restricted himself largely to throwdowns during Chennai’s practice sessions, but this time he faced the spinners and launched several shots over the Madras Cricket Club stands. With Jamie Overton heading back home, Chennai’s batting resources have thinned, opening a potential slot for Dhoni. At the same time, in their previous outing against Lucknow Super Giants, Chennai fielded only three overseas players. With Akeal Hosein unlikely to feature because of Hyderabad’s trio of left-handers at the top, the franchise could instead look at South African all-rounder Dian Forrester, who recently arrived after playing in the Pakistan Super League.
Other matters
But the spotlight isn’t solely on Dhoni. If Chennai fail to qualify for the playoffs, it would mark the third consecutive season in which their campaign has ended prematurely. For the first time since becoming head coach in 2009, Stephen Fleming has begun facing criticism from supporters. When Chennai struggled for momentum a few weeks earlier, insiders suggest N Srinivasan, the franchise’s majority stakeholder, had voiced frustration within his close circle.
Even though injuries have badly disrupted the squad — with at least four players who would likely have featured in the XII ruled out — concerns continue around the franchise’s overall strategy.
Stephen Fleming, who usually addresses the media on the eve of matches, skipped Sunday’s press interaction and instead sent newly-inducted Spencer Johnson, adding further mystery around team plans.
The contest carries enormous significance for Sunrisers Hyderabad as well. Similar to Chennai, who require victory to remain alive in the playoff race, Hyderabad also desperately need the points. Sitting on 14 points with two matches left, winning both would guarantee qualification. But finishing on 16 could still leave them vulnerable with several teams still competing for spots.
For Chennai, their earlier defeat to Hyderabad may yet prove costly. After appearing firmly in control, they eventually slipped to defeat, with Stephen Fleming later admitting disappointment over that missed opportunity.
Adding another layer of intrigue is an ongoing legal tussle between the two franchises. Until recently, both teams operated from offices situated only a short distance apart, with the Marina beachfront nearby. They had long maintained cordial rivalry. But just days before the season began, Sun TV Network, owners of Sunrisers Hyderabad, filed a copyright infringement case in the Madras High Court against Chennai Super Kings for allegedly using songs, dialogues, and background scores from Jailer, Jailer 2, and Coolie in promotional videos across social media. The suit also sought disclosure of accounts detailing revenue earned through the alleged unauthorised usage.
This off-field dispute has certainly not escaped the notice of Chennai supporters, many of whom now believe a fresh rivalry may be taking shape.