The first El Clásico of IPL 2026 between the Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings came and went without its two biggest names. Both Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni did not feature for CSK, making it the first time in IPL history that both legends were absent from this fixture on the same night.
The match was played at the Wankhede Stadium on April 23. CSK won by 103 runs, handing the Mumbai Indians their biggest defeat by runs in T20 history.
Dhoni Watched From the Sidelines Again
Dhoni has not featured in any game in IPL 2026. He suffered a calf strain just before the tournament started in late March and has been working his way back since.
He practiced in the days before the match at Wankhede. Tuesday, he kept wickets and batted in the nets. On Wednesday, he came back for nearly an hour to meet fast bowlers and throwdown experts. Those sessions were interpreted by fans and media as a sign of a comeback.
CSK bowling coach Eric Simons was direct about it. He said Dhoni would only play when he felt ready and when the medical staff cleared him. No announcement would be made before that.
On match day, Dhoni did not even show up at the ground. The wait goes on.
CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad acknowledged at the toss that the loud support CSK receives everywhere is largely because of Dhoni. He said it was unfortunate the legend was not there, but added that the team was confident and ready.
Rohit Sharma Also Sits Out for Mumbai Indians
Rohit Sharma has been dealing with a hamstring injury since he walked off the field during MI’s match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 12. He had played the first four games of the season before the injury forced him out.
He returned to training at Wankhede ahead of this match and batted under lights. The team said a final call would be taken around toss time. MI captain Hardik Pandya confirmed at the toss that Rohit was still unavailable. He named an unchanged XI.
On the night of the match, Rohit sat in the dugout during MI’s warm-up drills. He had no part to play.
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Samson and Hosein Seal a Record Win for CSK
Without Dhoni in the lineup, CSK needed someone to step up. Sanju Samson did exactly that. He scored 101 not out off 54 balls and carried CSK to 207 for 6. His second-highest scoring partner in the innings managed only 22 runs. The innings was built almost entirely around him.
MI were set 208 to win. They never came close. The chase fell apart quickly against spin. Akeal Hosein took four wickets for 17 runs. Noor Ahmad picked up two more. Eight MI batters were dismissed in single digits. The team was bowled out for 104 in 19 overs.
Nine MI wickets fell to spin, a record at Wankhede Stadium in IPL cricket.
Both teams came into the match with just two wins from six games, sitting in the bottom half of the table. For CSK, this win moves them up to fifth. For MI, the road to the playoffs gets harder.
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