The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season reaches a fever pitch as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) travel to the capital to face Delhi Capitals (DC) in Match 48 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday, May 5, 2026. While the playoff race is intensifying, the biggest question on every fan’s mind is the availability of the legendary MS Dhoni. The former CSK skipper has been battling a persistent knee niggle throughout this season, often coming out to bat only for the final few deliveries. With CSK sitting comfortably in the top four after their dominant win over MI, and DC struggling to maintain consistency, the presence of MS Dhoni at the Kotla could be the deciding factor for the massive crowd expected in Delhi tonight.
| Category | Information |
| Match | Delhi Capitals vs Chennai Super Kings, Match 48 |
| Venue | Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi |
| Date & Time | Tuesday, May 5, 2026 |
| Toss Time | 7:00 PM IST |
| Live Stream | JioHotstar App & Website |
MS Dhoni Availability: Arun Jaitley Stadium Pitch Report
The surface at the Arun Jaitley Stadium has provided a mix of high scoring thrillers and sudden batting collapses in IPL 2026. While the average first innings score this season sits at 177, the short boundaries (65m square) make it a nightmare for bowlers once a batter is set. The black soil pitch generally favors stroke makers, but as seen in recent games, disciplined seam bowling can extract movement under lights. For tonight’s clash, the dew factor is expected to be significant during the second innings, making the ball slippery for spinners and giving a massive advantage to the chasing side.
DC vs CSK Probable Playing XI: Will MS Dhoni Play?
Delhi Capitals Probable XI: KL Rahul (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, Sameer Rizvi, Axar Patel (C), Mitchell Starc, Lungi Ngidi, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan.
Impact Player: David Miller/Abishek Porel.
Chennai Super Kings Probable XI: Sanju Samson (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Sarfaraz Khan, Kartik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Prashant Veer, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh.
Impact Player: Sarfaraz Khan/Mukesh Choudhary.
Toss Prediction: Why Both Captains Will Want To Bowl First Today?
The toss prediction for today’s match is heavily skewed towards bowling first. At the Arun Jaitley Stadium this season, chasing sides have won three out of four completed matches. Axar Patel has already won the toss and invited Ruturaj Gaikwad’s side to bat first, citing the evening dew as a primary factor. With the ball expected to come onto the bat better under lights and the outfield becoming wet, defending any total below 190 will be an uphill task for the CSK bowling unit.
Winner Prediction: Who Will Win Today’s Match?
In this high stakes survival contest, Delhi Capitals enter with a slight edge on their home turf. Although CSK has historically dominated this rivalry—winning six of the eight encounters at this venue—DC’s recent form, led by KL Rahul and the lethal pace of Mitchell Starc, has been more consistent. CSK is currently grappling with a poor 1 to 3 away record this season and the absence of MS Dhoni’s tactical presence behind the stumps. If Sanju Samson and Gaikwad fail to provide a massive total, the Capitals are predicted to level their season series against the Men in Yellow.
Final Verdict: Delhi Capitals to win Match 48 and solidify their position in the playoff race.
MS Dhoni is set to miss the DC vs CSK IPL 2026 clash at Arun Jaitley Stadium due to a calf injury. Delhi Capitals seek to exploit his absence tonight.