MS Dhoni and Sanju Samson (Image credit: CSK/IPL) Chennai Super Kings have been dealt a major blow after their talisman MS Dhoni was ruled out for the first two weeks of IPL 2026 due to a calf strain.“MS Dhoni is currently undergoing rehabilitation for a calf strain. As a result, he is likely to miss the first two weeks of IPL 2026,” the franchise said in a statement.
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Greenstone Lobo predicts IPL 2026 winner Soon after Dhoni was dropped, former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin, who also represented CSK in the past, picked his strongest XI with Impact Player options for the five-time champions.Ashwin picked Sanja Samson as the wicket-keeper batsman and also named him as the opener alongside captain Ruturaj Gaikwad.The former CSK player placed three attacking batsmen at the other positions – Urvil Patel at 3rd, Dewald Brevis at 4th, followed by India’s T20 World Cup 2026 all-rounder Shivam Dube at 5th.Ashwin offered two options for the No.6 spot – Sarfaraz Khan as his first choice, with India’s Under-19 World Cup captain Ayush Mhatre as an alternative. He overlooked Prashant Veer and picked Kartik Sharma at number seven.In the bowling department, Ashwin selected Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmad as the main spinners, with Hosein also offering batting depth at No.8.He went with Matt Henry and Khaleel Ahmed for the rushing attack. Ashwin also listed four Impact Player options – Anshul Kamboj, Shreyas Gopal, Ramakrishna Ghosh and Rahul Chahar.Ashwin’s CSK Playing XI:Sanju Samson (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Urvil Patel, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Sarfaraz Khan/Ayush Mhatre, Kartik Sharma, Akeal Hosein, Noor Ahmad, Matt Henry, Khaleel AhmedImpact Player: Anshul Kamboj/Shreyas Gopal/Ramakrishna Ghosh/Rahul ChaharCSK will begin their IPL 2026 campaign against Rajasthan Royals on March 30 at the Baraspara Stadium in Guwahati.
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The 19th edition of the tournament is set to begin on Saturday with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad in a draw at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
