Mumbai Indians Face Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026 Showdown Without Key Players

IPL 2026: Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings

The Mumbai Indians (MI) are currently clashing with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 33rd match of IPL 2026 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. This matchup marks the first El Clasico of this season, featuring two of the most successful franchises in IPL history. However, the excitement is somewhat dampened as both teams are missing their star players. CSK will be without MS Dhoni, while MI will not have Rohit Sharma, which is disappointing for fans.

MS Dhoni's Absence Explained

MS Dhoni is sidelined due to a calf strain he sustained prior to the tournament. He has yet to make his debut in IPL 2026 due to this injury. Recently, he was seen practicing with the team for the first time since his injury, engaging in extensive wicketkeeping drills. Although there were speculations about his return for the MI vs CSK match, fans will have to wait a bit longer to see him back on the field. His potential return could be in the next match against the Gujarat Titans (GT) on April 26 at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Rohit Sharma's Injury Update

Rohit Sharma had been actively participating in IPL 2026 until he suffered a hamstring injury during a match against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 12. He had to retire hurt after scoring just 19 runs. This injury has kept him out of action for three consecutive matches. In his absence, Ryan Rickleton opened the batting against the Punjab Kings (PBKS), and in the latest game against the Gujarat Titans (GT), Danish Malewar made his debut as an opener.

Playing XIs for MI vs CSK

Mumbai Indians: Quinton de Kock(w), Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya(c), Tilak Varma, Sherfane Rutherford, Mitchell Santner, Jasprit Bumrah, Krish Bhagat, AM Ghazanfar, Ashwani Kumar
Chennai Super Kings: Sanju Samson(w), Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Sarfaraz Khan, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh, Mukesh Choudhary
Subs: Prashant Veer, Matthew Short, Matt Henry, Akeal Hosein, Urvil Patel