The Chennai Super Kings campaign gets a big blow in the form of their star player, MS Dhoni. On 28 March, around 10:00 a.m., the official social media handle of Chennai Super Kings announced that MS Dhoni is out of the tournament for 2 weeks. According to the official statement, the Chennai Super Kings management said, “MS Dhoni is currently undergoing rehabilitation for a cough strain. As a result, he is likely to miss the first two weeks of the Tata IPL 2026 updates and rule changes. Get well soon, Thala!”
This is a message below for the Chennai Super Kings campaign because MS Dhoni has always been a crucial part of the team, and he is a big support for the new captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad. Playing without the backbone of the franchise can be a little difficult for the Chennai Super Kings' campaign. Although the fitness of MS Dhoni is in speculation, this cause train can be a difficult pill to swallow for CSK.
MS Dhoni out for 2 weeks
The official Twitter handle of Chennai Super Kings announced a few hours back that MS Dhoni will not play for the initial two weeks of IPL 2026. MS Dhoni has suffered a calf injury, and he will be missing the important matches for the franchise. The news has been confirmed by the Chennai Super Kings authority on 28 March, around 10 a.m. via a social media post.
Playing without MS Dhoni can be tricky for the Chennai Super Kings campaign because he is always a reliable support for the inexperienced Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. Young players from the CSK campaign will have to step up in the absence of MS Dhoni. The biggest question that now arises is who will take over the wicket-keeping duty. The Chennai Super Kings franchise heavily invested in Sanju Samson, who can also be a wicketkeeper, while other options may include Urvil Patel and Kartik Sharma.
Who will be the wicket keeper?
It is nearly impossible for the Chennai Super Kings campaign to find an exact replacement for best playing XI for CSK in IPL 2026 wicket-keeping in any player. When it comes to wicket-keeping, MS Dhoni is considered one of the greatest with lightning-fast hands and blink-of-the-eye stumping. CSK does have multiple options for wicket-keeping in the form of their latest addition, Sanju Samson, and other youngsters, including Urvil Patel.
As per the reports and speculations from the fans, the perfect replacement for MS Dhoni in terms of wicketkeeping is Sanju Samson. Sanju Samson is very experienced as he has been a part of the Indian T20 squad and also done the wicket-keeping duty in the Rajasthan Royals. His experience will be very essential as a wicketkeeper, and he can fill the boots of MS Dhoni.
Which IPL matches does MS Dhoni miss?
According to the social media post of Chennai's working MS Dhoni will miss a total of 2 weeks of IPL 2026. Which means he will miss at least 4 games of the season during his recovery period. The first 4 games of Chennai Super Kings include:
These are some of the matches that Chennai Super Kings will have to play without the veteran MS Dhoni. MS Dhoni is the key figure for the Chennai Super Kings campaign and is someone who adds reliability to the team. The depth of the scoring will be shattered without him, particularly in terms of finishing capability and leadership.
“On its way down”
During a Chennai Super Kings fan event, “ROAR 26,” MS Dhoni stated that “It's on the way down.”He was talking about his declining fitness, and he have acknowledge that he is not as fit as you wish to be. According to his words and multiple other speculations, it is likely that IPL 2026 might be the last season of MS Dhoni.
The records of MS Dhoni in IPL are outstanding as he has scored 278 matches and scored 5439 runs in 242 innings. He played all the matches with an average of 38.30 and a strike rate of 137.45, including 24 fifties and a highest score of 84.
Playing without a reliable finisher can be difficult; however, the Chennai Super Kings franchise is prepared for any problem. With the captainship of Rituraj Gaikwad and the experience of Sanju Samson, the CSK franchise is ready to face any struggle. Read More: IPL 2026 Rule Changes Explained, Best Playing XI for CSK in IPL 2026,
Comments (0)