In what has come as a massive blow to five-time champions Chennai Super Kings, former India captain MS Dhoni is all set to miss the first two weeks of IPL 2026 as he undergoes rehab for a calf strain,
the franchise announced on Saturday, March 28.
Chennai Super Kings will begin their campaign against the Rajasthan Royals on March 30 in Guwahati.
Assuming that Dhoni only misses two weeks of IPL 2026, one would expect that he would return for Chennai’s match against the Delhi Capitals on Saturday, March 11 or for the game against the Kolkata Knight Riders on April 14.
“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,” Chennai Super Kings tweeted on Saturday morning.
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
In the absence of Dhoni, Chennai Super Kings could hand wicketkeeping duties to Sanju Samson, seen as the former India skipper’s successor within the setup.
Samson was brought in ahead of the IPL 2026 auction last December, with CSK trading Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to the Rajasthan Royals to bag his services.
(More to follow)
