of MS Dhoni for a significant period with the wicketkeeper-batter nursing a calf strain after undergoing strenuous training for over a month to get himself in top shape for the IPL 2026 which got underway last Saturday. Dhoni has retired from all forms of cricket barring IPL and hasn’t played any competitive match in nearly a year.
The five-time IPL winning skipper is likely to sit out from as many as six matches and the hopes of him making a comeback in CSK‘s marquee clash with Mumbai Indians are also bleak.
CSK have officially said Dhoni will be out for two weeks, but he may not be available before the last week of April.
A CSK official described Dhoni’s absence as a “big blow” which the franchise must deal with. “It is definitely a big blow for us and we’ll have to deal with it,” the senior CSK official told the publication.
“He (Dhoni) is taking rest, and we want him back as soon as possible,” the source said.
In the past few seasons, Dhoni has been dealing with fitness concerns which has severely impacted his mobility and is a major reason why he has been batting lower in the batting order. However, he’s continued to keep the wickets.
