Is MS Dhoni Set to Miss IPL 2026 Start? Big Update Inside
Chennai Super Kings would be starting their IPL campaign without their veteran, MS Dhoni. Captain Cool is suffering with a calf strain, as he goes through rehabilitation during the initial phases of the campaign. Fans are disheartened as they won't get the Dhoni Kohli moment in the tournament.
Chennai Super Kings has suffered a huge blow right before the tournament begins. Fans waited for a long time to have MS Dhoni make his return to the game. But now it seems that they will have to wait for a little longer, since Captain Cool is currently not cleared to play for the team.
It has been reported that Dhoni is currently suffering with a calf strain. And right now, he is going through rehabilitation for the same, which will keep him out of action for two weeks. This surely is a major blow for the five time IPL champions, as they won't be having their most experienced player in the beginning.
🚨 MS DHONI RULED OUT OF FIRST TWO WEEKS. 🚨
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 28, 2026
- MS Dhoni is currently undergoing rehabilitation for calf strain which rules him out for first 15 days of IPL 2026. pic.twitter.com/w9aFdoAoXa
But this will also increase responsibility on Sanju Samson, who has just become a part of the team. He was traded to Chennai Super Kings right before the auction in place of Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. Fans will surely be missing the presence of Dhoni behind the stumps for the first few games.
Our Take
Chennai Super Kings has taken a wise decision to give some rest time to MS Dhoni, which will ensure that he remains fit for the remainder of the season. His presence will be a crucial one for the team, as he has been a part of them since the start of the IPL. It is unclear how many seasons he would play, but it is also necessary that he remains at his best.
At the same time, fans will be missing his presence in the Southern Derby clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. There would be no moment in this tournament when Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni are together, till both teams are set to face each other in the playoffs.