Chennai: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Indian cricket icon MS Dhoni is likely to miss the first two weeks of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 due to a calf strain, the franchise announced on Saturday.
In a statement, the Chennai-based side said, “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!”
CSK will begin their campaign on March 30 against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati.
The fixture will see former Rajasthan Royals player Sanju Samson feature for CSK, while veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has returned to Rajasthan Royals following a pre-auction trade.
The deal also involved England all-rounder Sam Curran moving from CSK to Rajasthan Royals, though he will miss the tournament due to injury.
Speculation has been growing that IPL 2026 could be Dhoni’s final season, particularly with persistent knee issues affecting his fitness.
At the ‘ROAR 26’ fan event held at Chepauk Stadium, Dhoni acknowledged the physical toll, saying his fitness “is on the way down.”
These fitness and age-related concerns have seen him shift to a lower-middle-order role, focusing on impactful hitting during the death overs while managing his workload.
With Ruturaj Gaikwad leading the side and the franchise bringing in Samson as a wicketkeeping option, along with a significant investment of Rs 14.20 crore in uncapped wicketkeeper batter Kartik Sharma, speculation around a transition phase for CSK has intensified.
Dhoni has featured in 278 IPL matches, scoring 5,439 runs in 242 innings at an average of 38.30 and a strike rate of 137.45, including 24 half-centuries, with a highest score of 84 not out.
He is currently the sixth-highest run-scorer in IPL history.
During CSK’s bottom-placed finish in the 2025 season, Dhoni scored 196 runs in 13 innings at an average of 24.50 and a strike rate of over 135, with a best score of 30 not out.
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