New Delhi: MS Dhoni’s absence from IPL 2026 has sparked widespread curiosity in the Chennai Super Kings dressing room, but batting coach Michael Hussey has now revealed the altruistic reason behind the veteran’s decision to sit out.Ahead of CSK’s match against Mumbai Indians at Chepauk, Hussey explained that Dhoni made a conscious choice not to play in the match to avoid distracting the team.“Dhoni MS, he is a team-oriented person. He always wants the best for the team and he is worried that if he comes, he will cause too much disruption,” Hussey said.“Obviously, the cameras will be on him a lot. The crowd will be cheering him on and things like that. He really wants the team to continue doing their job and doing our thing. “Despite being part of the team since pre-season, Dhoni, who is recovering from a calf injury, has not played a single match so far. Hussey stressed that his absence on game days was intentional to put the spotlight on the team.“Whether it’s right or wrong, it’s not my decision but that’s the thinking behind Dhoni not wanting to play,” he added.Focus on recovery, not attentionAlthough Dhoni is away from the coaching dugout, he remains actively involved behind the scenes, regularly attending training sessions and interacting with the players.Hussey also provided a positive update on Dhoni’s recovery, hinting that his return could be imminent – although an exact timetable has yet to be confirmed.“Hopefully he will be back soon. I don’t know if it will be tomorrow or the next game after that, but he is progressing very well,” he said.“I know he’s been picking up his running speed and that’s probably the sticking point. I think from a technical standpoint we’re pretty confident in his batting and his fielding.”“It’s just making sure he’s able to keep running well…so once he’s confident in his calf, I’m sure he’ll be ready,” he explained.
