Hardik has missed MI’s last two games, while Dhoni is yet to play a match for CSK this season.
The concerns around Hardik Pandya’s fitness continue to grow as the Mumbai Indians (MI) captain did not travel with the team to Dharamsala ahead of their IPL 2026 fixture against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Wednesday (May 13).
Notably, Hardik has missed MI’s last two matches because of back spasms. While the all-rounder had joined the squad late in Raipur for the RCB clash, he did not feature in the game.
According to a Cricbuzz report, Pandya’s injury is currently being monitored by the MI support staff in Mumbai and he may still end up travelling to Dharamsala.
Despite growing speculations on social media, the report suggests there is no major controversy surrounding his absence and that it is purely an injury-related matter. However, Hardik’s performances this season have drawn significant criticism. In eight matches, he has scored 146 runs and picked up only four scalps.
Under his leadership, Mumbai Indians have had a dismal season, winning only two of their first nine matches. In Hardik’s absence, Suryakumar Yadav led MI in the last two games, registering one win and one defeat.
Meanwhile, Surya has also not travelled with the franchise squad to Dharamsala. However, his absence is for personal reasons, as the Indian T20I skipper was recently blessed with a child.
Suryakumar is expected to link up with the squad before the match, just like he had reached Raipur on the day of MI’s game against RCB.
In positive news for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fans, MS Dhoni is expected to travel with the squad to Lucknow for their crucial encounter against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on May 15, providing a boost to their playoff chances.
Dhoni, who has been battling a calf injury, has travelled very little during IPL 2026. He has accompanied the team for only two away matches so far, in Hyderabad and Mumbai.
CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan has confirmed to Cricbuzz that Dhoni’s ticket for Lucknow has already been booked on an IndiGo commercial flight. The franchise remains hopeful that the legendary wicketkeeper-batter will make the trip.
MS Dhoni is yet to play a match in the ongoing IPL season. While not guaranteed for all remaining games, he is likely to feature in at least one of the final three league fixtures.
Chennai Super Kings currently sit fifth on the IPL 2026 points table with six wins and five defeats from 11 matches. With the playoff race tightening, the five-time champions are likely to need at least two wins from the remaining three games to safely reach the 16-point mark, traditionally considered enough for qualification.
(With Cricbuzz Inputs)