Dhoni to miss first two weeks of IPL 2026 with calf strain; CSK brace for opener
Dhoni to miss first two weeks of IPL 2026 with calf strain; CSK brace for opener
CSK face an early hurdle as MS Dhoni injures calf and misses two weeks ahead of IPL 2026 opener against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati; Sanju Samson and Kartik Sharma step up as Dhoni's absence tests leadership.
Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni has been ruled out of the first two weeks of IPL 2026 due to a calf strain, with the franchise confirming the development on Saturday. Dhoni is undergoing rehabilitation in Chennai under CSK’s support staff and is expected to recover in about two weeks. The team opens its IPL 2026 campaign against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on March 30, placing extra emphasis on squad depth early in the season. Dhoni, who has continued playing in the IPL since retiring from international cricket in 2020, has managed his workload carefully in recent years. He acknowledged at the ROAR’26 event that his fitness was “on the way down” with age, though his leadership remains a cornerstone for CSK. In Dhoni’s absence, the team has wicketkeeping options in Sanju Samson and the uncapped Kartik Sharma. Ruturaj Gaikwad remains the captain and Dhoni’s presence looms large as CSK navigates the early weeks of the campaign. Dhoni’s calf issue follows a knee arthroscopy in 2023, after which he played through the 2023 title-winning campaign with a heavily strapped knee. CSK began preparing for IPL 2026 with a clear focus on balancing youth and experience to cover the two-week period without their talisman. This setback tests CSK’s depth and the support staff’s planning as they aim to start the season strong in Guwahati.
