Chennai Begin IPL Campaign Without Dhoni

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have suffered a major setback on the opening day of IPL 2026, as veteran star MS Dhoni is likely to miss the first two weeks of the tournament due to injury, the franchise confirmed.

In a statement on Saturday, CSK said Dhoni is currently undergoing rehabilitation after sustaining a calf injury. As a result, the team will be without him at the start of the campaign. CSK will begin their season on Monday against Rajasthan Royals, followed by matches against Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Delhi Capitals in the first two weeks.

Dhoni’s absence has sparked discussions over who will take up the wicketkeeping duties. Newly signed Sanju Samson is considered the frontrunner for the role. Urvil Patel and newcomer Kartik Sharma are also available as options.

CSK acquired Samson from Rajasthan Royals through a trade deal that saw Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran move the other way. Meanwhile, the franchise spent a hefty INR 14.20 crore on young talent Kartik Sharma, who impressed with his power-hitting in domestic cricket.

Last season, Dhoni played all matches but had limited opportunities with the bat, coming in lower down the order. He scored 196 runs in 13 innings, with a highest score of an unbeaten 30. However, CSK endured a disappointing campaign overall, finishing at the bottom of the table with just four wins.

The team has also been hit by another injury blow ahead of the tournament. Australian pacer Nathan Ellis has been ruled out of the entire season due to a hamstring injury and has been replaced by Spencer Johnson. CSK’s pace attack will be led by Matt Henry, alongside Khaleel Ahmed, Gurjapneet Singh, Zak Foulkes, Anshul Kamboj, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Jamie Overton, and Mukesh Choudhary. All-rounder Shivam Dube is also part of the squad.

After a disappointing last season, CSK are aiming for a fresh start this year. However, Dhoni’s absence at the beginning poses a significant challenge to their campaign.