Akash Madhwal had replaced Ayush Mhatre in CSK camp midway in IPL 2026.
Notably, MS Dhoni didn’t play a single game in IPL 2026, as he had suffered a calf strain before the season began and then suffered a thumb injury. This has put a lot of question marks on whether the 45-year-old, five-time IPL-winning CSK captain will continue in the IPL or not.
Madhwal, who replaced Ayush Mhatre in the CSK contingent in IPL 2026, observed that once the seamer joined the camp, MS Dhoni did not miss a single practice session and is really fit. Additionally, he encouraged the veteran to "definitely" participate in the upcoming tournament.
“It is his call whether he plays or not. But as much as I have seen him, he is seriously very fit. Since I joined CSK, he hasn't missed a single practice session. In every practice session, he would give 100% effort. He would bat really well. Because I am a fan of his, I watch him a lot. So, we would stand in the nets just to watch him bat, and it felt so privileged to see him playing live. So, there's nothing like that. I feel that he will 100% play next year; he will definitely play,” Madhwal said on Sports Tak.
CSK finished eighth on the IPL 2026 points table with just six wins from 14 games.
The 45-year-old Dhoni is very approachable and has a solution for everything, according to Akash Madhwal, who claimed that MS Dhoni's presence alone is a significant thing for the team.
“You also know that his presence alone is a very big thing. To be in a dressing room, and if you are in that dressing room, being a part of it is a huge deal. Brother is very approachable. He stays very calm. Whenever you want to ask anything, you can just go and talk to him. He will give you a solution for everything. He will sit you down and talk comfortably. He will listen to everything you have to say. He will give you a complete answer. Just his presence was very positive for us in that environment. It was very easy,” Madhwal said.
The pacer also commended CSK's management, characterizing it as first-rate and emphasizing the relaxed environment in which players are not under any pressure other than the desire to succeed.
“I highly rate the CSK management. It is a very chill environment. You don't feel any pressure about anything. The only pressure is that you have to perform. It's just that if you are playing, you have to perform. He didn't really focus much on that either. He would just say to stay in your state of mind, perform, and nothing else,” Madhwal concluded.
MS Dhoni has featured in 278 IPL matches, scoring 5,439 runs at an average of 38.30 and a strike rate of 137.45. He has registered 24 fifties, with his best score being an unbeaten 84 as his best score.