The Indian Premier League gets underway on Saturday. For Chennai Super Kings fans, the opening day brought news they did not want to hear.
MS Dhoni is set to miss the first two weeks of IPL 2026 with a calf strain. The franchise confirmed it in an official statement on Saturday morning, putting a significant cloud over their early-season campaign.
“MS Dhoni is currently undergoing rehabilitation for a calf strain. As a result, he is likely to miss the first two weeks of the TATA IPL 2026. Get well soon, Thala,” CSK wrote on X.
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! 💛🦁
What the Absence Means for CSK
The timing is far from ideal. Chennai open their campaign against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on Monday. Over the following two weeks, they are also scheduled to face Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Delhi Capitals. Dhoni is expected to miss all four fixtures.
With Dhoni unavailable, Sanju Samson is the frontrunner to step in behind the stumps. The experienced wicketkeeper-batter has already been seen taking on keeping duties in CSK’s intra-squad matches at Chepauk. Urvil Patel and Kartik Sharma are the other options available to captain Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Who Dhoni Is and What He Means to CSK
GettyChennai Super Kings’ captain MS Dhoni.
It is difficult to overstate what Dhoni represents to this franchise. He has been associated with Chennai since the IPL’s inception in 2008, led them to five titles, and remains the most-capped player in the tournament’s history. He retired from international cricket in 2020 but has continued playing exclusively in the IPL, with the competition now his only stage.
At 44, managing his body has become an increasing challenge. He dealt with persistent knee issues in recent seasons and underwent surgery in 2023. Even through all of it, he featured in all 14 of Chennai’s matches last season, contributing 196 runs batting down the order before the franchise finished bottom of the standings.
The calf strain is the latest obstacle. Former India batter Aakash Chopra noted earlier this week that Dhoni’s role was arguably the toughest of any senior player heading into IPL 2026, pointing to the challenge of going months without competitive cricket before arriving and being asked to contribute in a limited number of balls while also keeping wicket for 20 overs.
That challenge has just become considerably harder.
What It Means for the Tournament
Dhoni’s absence for the opening two weeks does not just affect Chennai. In fact, it affects the IPL as a whole. He remains one of the most watched figures in the competition regardless of his team’s position in the standings, and his delayed arrival will be felt in terms of both performance and atmosphere.
Meanwhile, the expectation is that he will be available from the third week onwards, assuming his rehabilitation goes smoothly. Chennai will be hoping, therefore, that the damage from the opening four games is manageable by the time he returns.
Chennai Super Kings Get Major MS Dhoni Injury News Ahead of IPL 2026