Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya shared a warm and memorable moment with Chennai Super Kings legend MS Dhoni during a training session on the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium.
During practice, Pandya noticed Dhoni across the bottom and, in a video that quickly went viral, the MI skipper walked straight towards him, greeting the long-lasting “Thala” with a broad smile and an extended, respectful hug.
Watch the video here:
HP 🫂 MAHI pic.twitter.com/QFxVlsXzIL
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) May 1, 2026
Thala offers batting advice
Beyond the initial exchange, the video captured MS Dhoni sharing technical guidance with Hardik Pandya. The previous India captain was seen pointing towards the crease and explaining bat swing, offering a transient lesson in ending skills.
Despite being on opposing sides, Dhoni’s readiness to guide Pandya reflects the strong bond they’ve shared since his early days within the Indian setup. Meanwhile, each Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, once dominant forces, are currently lagging within the playoff race.
Of their previous meeting in Mumbai, CSK, powered by a century from Sanju Samson, handed MI a heavy 103-run defeat.
MI vs CSK IPL 2026 Performance
Chennai Super Kings have had a rather higher campaign, winning 3 of 8 matches (6 points) and staying within the playoff race despite inconsistency. In contrast, Mumbai Indians have struggled, managing just 2 wins in 8 games (4 points) and sitting near the underside of the table. Each teams have lacked consistency, but CSK remain higher placed than MI in IPL 2026.
Predicted Playing XI Of Each Teams
Chennai Super Kings Playing XI: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson, Urvil Patel, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Jamie Overton, Akeal Hosein, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh
Mumbai Indians Playing XI: Ryan Rickelton, Will Jacks, Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Robin Minz, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, AM Ghazanfar, Ashwani Kumar
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