Players of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) wore black armbands during their Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. This gesture was to honor the passing of pacer Mukesh Choudhary’s mother. The franchise had confirmed the sad news earlier in the day, expressing condolences and support for Choudhary and his family.
In a display of solidarity, the entire CSK team donned black armbands to pay tribute to Choudhary’s mother and show support for their teammate during his time of mourning. Despite the personal loss, Choudhary returned to the squad and played in the match against Mumbai Indians, demonstrating his dedication to the team.
Choudhary, who had previously played only one match for CSK in IPL 2026, made a significant contribution by taking two crucial wickets against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Known for his ability to swing the new ball, he has a total of 19 wickets in 17 matches throughout his IPL career, with his best figures being 4/46.
Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad led Chennai Super Kings in the match after losing the toss to Mumbai Indians’ Hardik Pandya, who chose to field first. Mumbai Indians maintained the same playing XI as their previous game, with Rohit Sharma absent for the third consecutive match due to a hamstring injury.
Meanwhile, veteran wicketkeeper-batter MS Dhoni remained sidelined due to a calf strain, missing the high-profile clash. Despite training with the squad before the game, the 44-year-old is yet to make his first appearance in the IPL 2026 season.
