Historic Absence of Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni in IPL 2026 Clash

The IPL 2026 match between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings is marked by the unprecedented absence of Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni. Both players, who have been pivotal in their teams' histories, are sidelined due to injuries. This match represents a significant moment in IPL history, as it is the first time since 2011 that neither player is participating. The Mumbai Indians opted to bowl first, maintaining their lineup, while CSK made one change. Discover more about this historic clash and the current state of both teams.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 23, 2026, 20:26 IST

IPL 2026: Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings

The IPL 2026 match between the Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is notable for the absence of two cricketing legends, Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni, from the playing squads. Rohit, a key player for MI since 2011, is sidelined due to a hamstring injury sustained during a match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Meanwhile, Dhoni has been unable to participate in any games this season due to a calf strain he suffered prior to IPL 2026, with initial expectations of a two-week recovery period. CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad mentioned during the toss that Dhoni did not even travel with the team to the stadium.

This match marks a historic moment as it is the first time since 2011 that neither Rohit nor Dhoni is part of the MI-CSK rivalry, often referred to as the El Clasico of IPL. Both players have been integral to their teams, with Rohit leading MI to five IPL titles before his recent dismissal as captain. He has been a consistent presence in the franchise since being acquired in the 2011 mega-auction. Dhoni, who joined CSK in 2008, also captained the team to five IPL victories, including a memorable win against MI in the 2010 final.

Currently, Hardik Pandya leads the Mumbai Indians, having returned to the team before IPL 2024 after previously captaining the Gujarat Titans to a title in 2022. Ruturaj Gaikwad now heads the CSK side.

Mumbai Indians Choose to Bowl First

In the toss, the Mumbai Indians opted to bowl first and maintained their final XI without any changes. The Chennai Super Kings made one adjustment, bringing Prashant Veer into their lineup.

Here are the playing XIs for both teams:

Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (Captain), Quinton de Kock, Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Sherfane Rutherford, Mitchell Santner, Jasprit Bumrah, Krish Bhagat, AM Ghazanfar, Ashwani Kumar

Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (Captain), Sanju Samson, Sarfaraz Khan, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh, Mukesh Choudhary