MS Dhoni Injury Update: CSK Star Likely to Return in Late April for IPL 2026

A day after MS Dhoni was confirmed to miss the first two weeks of IPL 2026, a report says he could return to play soon after that period. At the age of 44, the former CSK captain is the oldest uncapped player in the cash-rich league and is potentially set to feature in what could be his final season. While Dhoni has been a fan attraction for CSK since forever, his contributions for the team have been least over the last few years.

According to reports, MS Dhoni is likely to return in late April, meaning he could miss around 6 matches in IPL 2026. He has been ruled out for the first two weeks due to a calf injury and is currently recovering. 

MS Dhoni Likely to Return in Late April After Injury Layoff

CSK are all set to commence their IPL 2026 campaign by taking on Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their tournament opener on March 30. Providing an update on Dhoni, a CSK official told the publication that MSD hasn’t travelled with the team for their first game in Guwahati and that he is taking rest.

“It is definitely a big blow for us and we’ll have to deal with it. He is taking rest and we want him back as soon as possible,” the source told TOI.

MS Dhoni has been dealing with knee problems for the past few seasons and even had surgery after IPL 2023. Because of this, he batted lower down the order (No. 7 or 8) last season, as he couldn’t face many balls and wasn’t able to run between the wickets as quickly as before. Days ago, a video of Dhoni limping during a CSK net session ahead of IPL 2026 surfaced, hinting that the star wasn’t 100% fit.

It is important to note that Chennai Super Kings may not miss MS Dhoni much, as Sanju Samson is expected to take over as the first-choice wicketkeeper, as confirmed by the team management earlier. In the lower-middle order, the team can bring in the likes of Rs 14.20 crore buys Prrashant Veer or Karthik Sharma to boost the batting firepower. As for Dhoni, it remains to be seen if he will be used as an impact player in IPL 2026, given that he cannot bat for long time.

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IPL 2026, PBKS vs GT Match Prediction: Who Will Win, Fantasy Picks, Top Batters and Bowlers Gujarat Titans will face Punjab Kings in the 4th match of IPL 2026 on March 31st at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, starting at 7:30 PM.

by Dwijesh March 29, 2026