Legendary cricketer MS Dhoni may not be available for the Chennai Super Kings in the first couple of weeks of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 in what comes as a major development. Dhoni has been going through a calf strain, which has ruled him out of the initial two weeks of the tournament.
CSK confirmed Dhoni’s situation in the early hours of the Saturday morning, indicating that the veteran wicketkeeper-batter will not be taking the field during their season opener against Rajasthan Royals at the Barsapara Stadium, Guwahati, on Monday, March 30.
“MS Dhoni is currently undergoing rehabilitation for a calf strain. As a result, he is likely to miss the first two weeks of IPL 2026. Get well soon, Thala!” CSK shared in an official statement on their social media handles.
Official Statement
MS Dhoni is currently undergoing rehabilitation for a calf strain. As a result, he is likely to miss the first two weeks of TATA IPL 2026.
Get well soon, Thala! 💛🦁 pic.twitter.com/4dgmt5EWFi
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 28, 2026
What are the backup wicketkeeper-batter options with CSK?
As a matter of fact, the unavailability of Dhoni will surely hurt CSK, but they do not have to think a lot about their man behind the wickets, as they have the likes of Sanju Samson to play the role in the 44-year-old’s lieu. Meanwhile, they also have someone like Urvil Patel and the 14-crore-signing of Kartik Sharma to don the gloves behind the wickets.
When did Dhoni last miss an IPL game?
Notably, Dhoni’s absence from the playing XI is a rare thing, as the experienced campaigner is also among the fittest cricketers around the globe. It is worth mentioning that the last instance of Dhoni missing an IPL match was in 2019 when he missed a game against the Mumbai Indians on April 26, 2019, due to high fever and illness. A week ago, he had also missed the game against SRH on April 19 due to a back spasm.
What are CSK’s games in the first two weeks of IPL 2026?
CSK are slated to open against RR on Monday. But they will be playing their first home game of the season against the Punjab Kings on April 03 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. After facing the 2025 finalists, they will be up against the defending champions RCB in Bengaluru on April 05. They will be in Chennai once again for their match against Delhi Capitals on April 11.
Dhoni is expected to recuperate by then. However, an official update will be thoroughly awaited.
