Legendary cricketer MS Dhoni may be unavailable for the Chennai Super Kings during the first few weeks of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, which is a huge development. Due to a calf issue, Dhoni will not be participating in the first two weeks of the competition.
Early on Saturday morning, CSK verified Dhoni’s condition, meaning that the seasoned batsman and wicketkeeper will not play in their season-opening match against Rajasthan Royals on Monday, March 30 at Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati.
“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.
What are the backup wicketkeeper-batter options with CSK?
In actuality, Dhoni’s absence will undoubtedly affect CSK, but they don’t need to worry too much about their man behind the wickets because they have players like Sanju Samson to fill in for the 44-year-old. In the meanwhile, they have players like Urvil Patel and Kartik Sharma, who was signed for 14 crores, to wear the gloves behind the wickets.
When did Dhoni last miss an IPL game?
Notably, Dhoni is one of the world’s fittest cricket players, therefore his absence from the starting lineup is unusual. It’s important to note that Dhoni last missed an IPL game on April 26, 2019, when he was unwell and had a high temperature. He also missed the April 19 match against SRH a week earlier because of a back spasm.
