Even while sidelined with a calf injury, MS Dhoni’s influence continues to define Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) strategy at Chepauk. In their recent clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), young Afghan spinner Noor Ahmad delivered a masterclass in spin bowling, crediting a technical intervention from the “injured icon” for his return to form.
The Masterclass: Noor Ahmad vs. KKR
Noor Ahmad, who had been struggling for rhythm after going wicketless in his first three IPL 2026 appearances, dismantled KKR’s middle order with precision.
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Match Figures: 3 for 21 (4 overs)
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Key Scalps: Ajinkya Rahane (28) and Cameron Green (0) on consecutive deliveries.
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The Dhoni Touch: CSK bowling coach Sridharan Sriram revealed that Dhoni spent significant time with Noor in the nets, advising him to trust his leg-break over his usual flurry of googlies.
“Even MS had a long chat with him… getting him to bowl more leg-break. The results were there to show,” said Sriram.
Match Highlights: CSK vs. KKR
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CSK Batting: Posted 192/5, powered by Sanju Samson (48) and Dewald Brevis (41).
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KKR Chase: Restricted to 160/7. Despite a late 63-run stand between Ramandeep Singh (35) and Rovman Powell (31)*, the required rate proved insurmountable.
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Result: CSK won by 32 runs.
MS Dhoni Injury Update
The mystery surrounding Dhoni’s return continues to deepen. While he has been seen hitting massive sixes in the nets at Chepauk, he has missed all five of CSK’s matches so far due to a calf strain.
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Current Status: Undergoing rehabilitation; a final decision on whether he travels to Hyderabad for the April 18 match against SRH is expected tomorrow morning.
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Interim Keeper: Sanju Samson has taken over the gloves and recently found form with an unbeaten century against Delhi Capitals.
IPL 2026 Points Table (as of April 15, 2026)
CSK’s back-to-back wins have significantly improved their position, while KKR remains rooted to the bottom of the table.
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Points | Net Run Rate |
| 1 | Rajasthan Royals | 5 | 4 | 8 | +0.889 |
| 2 | Punjab Kings | 4 | 3 | 7 | +0.720 |
| … | … | … | … | … | … |
| 8 | Chennai Super Kings | 5 | 2 | 4 | -0.846 |
| 9 | Mumbai Indians | 4 | 1 | 2 | -0.772 |
| 10 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 5 | 0 | 1 | -1.383 |
Next Up for CSK: vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on April 18.
