Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin picked his after the talismanic wicketkeeper-batter was ruled out of the first two weeks of IPL 2026 on Saturday.
The 39-year-old picked Kartik Sharma to bat at number 7, a slot that Dhoni may have occupied had he been fit and ready to play the first match against () in on Monday. They will play their first home match of 2026 against the on April 3.
“So!! This should be ideal. Ruturaj, Samson, Urvil, Brevis, Dube, Sarfaraz/Ayush, Kartik Sharma, Akeal, Noor, Henry, Khaleel, Kamboj/Ghosh/Rahul/Gopal. After 2 weeks, there will be enough info available to tweak if needed,” Ashwin wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday.
So!! This should be ideal.
Ruturaj
Samson
Urvil
Brevis
Dube
Sarfaraz/Ayush
Kartik Sharma
Akeal
Noor
Henry
Khaleel
Kamboj/Ghosh/Rahul/Gopal
After 2 weeks, there will be enough info available to tweak if needed.
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99)
Dhoni’s absence from the first two weeks of the tournament should clear the path for Sanju Samson to take the gloves for the five-time champions. The 31-year-old was swapped from RR ahead of IPL 2026, in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran in one of the most high-profile transfers in recent history.
also splurged big at the 2025 auction on two youngsters – Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer – spending Rs 14.2 crore each on both players, and in Dhoni’s absence, both players could have key roles to play for the franchise in the initial matches of IPL 2026.
Dhoni had led CSK for a major part of IPL 2025, after Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the tournament due to a fractured elbow. The five-time champions endured a torrid season, finishing 10th on the .
A few months after the season finished, Ashwin announced his retirement from IPL cricket in a bid to play overseas leagues. He was set to become the first male player to feature in the Big Bash League last season, having signed up to play for Sydney Thunder, but had to withdraw after undergoing a knee operation.
