MI vs CSK: Will MS Dhoni, Will Jacks play Mumbai vs Chennai match at Wankhede?

The Indian Premier League's most iconic rivals are set to lock horns less than 24 hours from now with Mumbai Indians hosting Chennai Super Kings at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. MI and CSK are two of the most successful franchises in IPL history with five titles, having also won the Champions League T20 a couple of times during its five-year existence from 2009 to 2014.

They also happen to be the most successful franchise in terms of their overall win-count, with MI and CSK having won 153 and 144 matches each in the world's biggest T20 league. It's why their rivalry is dubbed IPL's 'El Clasico'.

Also Read | MI vs CSK: Dhoni's last-over finish to Mumbai's 1-run win, unforgettable moments from IPL's most iconic rivalry

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That formidable record, however, does not reflect in Mumbai and Chennai's current position on the table, with the two franchises having largely struggled to make an impact in the 19th IPL season. Both MI and CSK find themselves in the lower half of the table, sitting at the seventh and eighth spots respectively, having collected four points each in six outings.

The Hardik Pandya-led MI got their campaign back on track after thrashing Gujarat Titans by 99 runs in Ahmedabad after four losses on the trot, getting their Net Run Rate on the positive side as a result. CSK, on the other hand, suffered a setback in the form of a 10-run defeat in their away game against Sunrisers Hyderabad after collecting two wins on the trot.

Will 'Thala' finally make his first appearance of the season? 

Former India and CSK captain MS Dhoni continues to play in the IPL nearly seven years on since his last appearance for the Indian team, but has not made a competitive appearance since Chennai's 83-run thrashing of Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad last May.

The 44-year-old has had issues with his fitness since undergoing a knee surgery in 2023, and has been confined to the bench for nearly a month in the ongoing season due to a calf strain.

Will Dhoni feature in CSK's mega showdown against MI though? Bowling coach Eric Simons remained non-committal on his availability for the upcoming match at the Wankhede Stadium.

"MS will only play when he feels he is ready to go and the medical team clears him, so I am not going to make any announcement sitting here," Simons had said on the eve of the match.

"Someone like MS never really goes away. He’s always there as a resource… The tactics we’re using at the death have benefited from his insights," he added.

Also Read | Big blow to Chennai Super Kings as star youngster ruled out of remainder of IPL 2026 due to injury

Dhoni was seen at the nets along with his teammates ahead of the 'Clasico' showdown, but that isn't necessarily a strong indicator of his participation. Spin legend R Ashwin, however, noticed the fact that 'MSD' was keeping in the practice session, something he hadn't done earlier in this season, which he believes is a major clue.

"I’ve never seen MS Dhoni keeping wickets in the nets. That suggests he’s preparing to play… I’m 100 per cent sure he will play against Mumbai Indians," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

Will Jacks make first appearance for MI this season? 

It's not just Dhoni who could be making his first appearance of the season in Thursday's highly-anticipated showdown. England all-rounder Will Jacks has not made a competitive appearance since his team's T20 World Cup semi-final defeat against India at the Wankhede, having taken some time off for personal reasons.

England all-rounder Will Jacks was in red-hot form at the recent T20 World Cup, playing a key role in steering his team into the semi-finals. AP

Jacks had been acquired by the franchise for Rs 5.25 crore at the 2025 mega auction and retained ahead of the mini auction in December after scoring 233 runs and collecting six wickets in 13 outings. He has linked up with MI squad ahead of the CSK match and his arrival is a major boost for captain Pandya and coach Mahela Jayawardene, considering his red-hot form in the T20 World Cup, due to which he is expected to slot in right away.

MI vs CSK, IPL 2026 Predicted Playing XIs

Mumbai Indians: Danish Malewar, Quinton de Kock (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Naman Dhir, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Will Jacks, Mitchell Santner, Allah Ghazanfar, Krish Bhagat, Jasprit Bumrah, Ashwani Kumar (IP)

Chennai Super Kings: Sanju Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Urvil Patel, Sarfaraz Khan, Shivam Dube, Dewald Brevis, Jamie Overton, MS Dhoni (wk), Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Spencer Johnson, Gurjapneet Singh (IP)