“A decision on him (Dhoni) will be taken tomorrow by him and the medical staff, if he is absolutely ready to go,” Simmons said on the eve of the match.Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad also confirmed that Dhoni is “slowly and steadily” regaining full fitness, adding that the injury occurred during an intra-squad practice game when Dhoni felt discomfort while running.“We were playing a practice match; that’s when he [MS Dhoni] snapped his calf, and then he wasn’t able to run as comfortably as he wanted to and I think after that it was just about him seeing some of the youngsters playing in practice games or in match simulations where he felt confident enough about them, who are ready and who have that ability to play in the IPL. And, after that, it was just about taking time on his recovery, and slowly, slowly he’s getting there. Never know, maybe next game, maybe after that, but definitely one day for sure,” Gaikwad said.

Likely Role if He Plays

Even if declared fit, Dhoni may not take on a full workload immediately. He is expected to feature as an Impact Player, allowing the team to manage his fitness carefully while still benefiting from his experience and finishing ability. Sanju Samson has been handling the keeping duties in his absence, but the team is eager for Dhoni’s return to provide experience to a squad currently sitting 8th on the points table