MI vs CSK: Ruturaj Gaikwad And Co Seen Wearing Black Armbands In Today’s IPL 2026 Match — What Is The Reason?

MI vs CSK: On Thursday at the Wankhede, Chennai Super Kings players were spotted wearing black armbands while playing the Mumbai Indians. This was seen due to the mother of CSK pacer Mukesh Choudhary passing away on Tuesday, following a year-long struggle with illness. The franchise took to social media and said, “The CSK family mourns the passing of Mukesh Choudhary’s mother. We stand with Mukesh and his family, keeping them in our thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time.” Coming to the clash, Mumbai’s Hardik Pandya sent CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad to bat first after Gaikwad lost the toss. Rohit Sharma missed his third straight game as the Mumbai Indians used the same starting lineup from their last game. He has a hamstring problem.

Chennai Super Kings: This one is for Mukesh’s mother

Before the first ball was bowled in this iconic clash, Chennai Super Kings took to Twitter to post how the players stood in solidarity with the left-arm pacer. It was confirmed by CSK that the players will be wearing black armbands in memory of Mukesh Choudhary’s mother. 

How has Mukesh Choudhary performed in IPL?

Mukesh Choudahry has played 18 games so far in the Indian Premier League. The left-arm pacer has picked up 19 wickets during his time representing the Chennai Super Kings in the grand league. His economy has been on the higher end with him going at almost 10 runs per over. His debut season in 2022 was his best for the five-time champions. In 13 games that year, Mukesh picked up 16 wickets with the best bowling figures of 4/46. 

He has been a solid first-class bowler. With the red ball in his hand, the left-arm pacer has picked up 75 wickets in 21 matches. 

MS Dhoni is missing MI vs CSK

MS Dhoni would not play in the IPL 2026 match against the Mumbai Indians on Thursday at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. Dhoni hasn’t played a single game for his team this year due to a calf injury he suffered during the preseason. Dhoni is still not entirely ready to return to CSK, despite having been training for some time. He will likely participate in the match against the Gujarat Titans on May 21, according to a Revsportz report, but the former captain of the Indian cricket team is rumored to have the last word.

MI vs CSK: No Rohit Sharma at Wankhede Stadium

The Mumbai Indians’ opener, Rohit Sharma, has missed three straight games for the five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) winners. Due to a hamstring strain he sustained during batting, he has not played since last week’s match against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Hardik Pandya’s availability for today’s crucial match against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) was questionable till he confirmed his absence after the toss.

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