India, May 18 -- MS Dhoni has not played a single match in IPL 2026, but Chennai Super Kings' final home game of the league stage has brought the question back with unusual force: will he return against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Chepauk today?

The answer will only come at the toss, but the build-up has changed over the last few days. Dhoni's absence began as a calf-strain issue before the season. It later became a concern about running and movement. Then came a setback in a warm-up game. Now, Ravichandran Ashwin has suggested that Dhoni may have been closer to selection than publicly known. That has turned CSK vs SRH into more than a playoff-pressure match. It has become another Dhoni watch in Chennai.

CSK had confirmed before the season t...