Mumbai, April 22 (IANS) Spencer Johnson is poised to take centre stage for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their critical bottom-of-the-table match against Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday. Bowling coach Eric Simmons hinted at Johnson’s potential inclusion due to Khaleel Ahmed’s injury.

Khaleel had to leave the field before finishing his overs in CSK’s last game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). This situation led the team to consider Johnson as a replacement in their bowling lineup. His addition comes at a time when injuries have heavily impacted Chennai’s season.

“Khaleel Ahmed & Anshul Kamboj have been really good for us. Spencer Johnson (Khaleel’s replacement) will be in our starting XI tomorrow night,” Simmons said on the eve of the match.

CSK has faced challenges all season, starting with three straight losses to Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. They briefly revived their season with wins over Delhi Capitals and KKR, but then experienced another setback with a 10-run loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Mumbai’s performance has also been shaky. After starting their season with a win against KKR, they lost to DC, RR, RCB, and PBKS before getting back on track with a second win against the Gujarat Titans.

Apart from Johnson, former skipper Dhoni, 44, has already started light training, including his first wicketkeeping session of IPL 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday, after missing CSK’s first six matches.

With only two wins from six games, CSK is currently in eighth place in the points table. Their matchup on April 23 against arch-rivals Mumbai Indians is crucial as they aim to turn their season around.

The Mumbai Indians have finally found their feet with a fine performance against the Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad, with pacer Jasprit Bumrah claiming his first wicket of the season in their sixth match. In between, the Mumbai Indians also lost opener Rohit Sharma to a hamstring injury in his right leg. He had retired hurt in the match against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and skipper Hardik Pandya said he will miss the next two matches.

–IANS

hs/bsk/