CHENNAI: Mahendra Singh Dhoni is in the last lap of his career. For all practical purposes, this will be his last IPL. And now his 44-year-old body doesn’t seem to be obeying his will to carry on with that final burst.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Dhoni, who has been training hard for over a month, suffered a calf strain in training that could sideline him for about three weeks. While CSK’s official release mentions a two-week layoff, team sources suggest that he is unlikely to return before the last week of April.This could mean the legend will miss at least six matches, with a possible return against Mumbai Indians on April 23 also uncertain.
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CSK is organizing a fan engagement event in Chepauk ahead of IPL 2026 Stay back“It is certainly a big blow for us and we will have to deal with it,” said a senior representative of ČSK. Dhoni did not travel to Guwahati for the team’s first match against Rajasthan Royals on Sunday and is rehabilitating in Chennai. “He’s resting and we want him back as soon as possible,” the source said.While Dhoni’s absence reduces the buzz around CSK, it may also turn out to be a blessing in disguise. The five-time IPL-winning captain hasn’t been at his best over the past few seasons, with his role limited to short spells of batting at No.15 due to the constant injuries he’s suffered.It was high time the Super Kings found a capable lower-order batsman and in Dhoni’s absence, the door may open for the likes of Prashant Veer and Karthik Sharma – at Rs 14.2 crore – to take charge at the end of the innings with explosive batting.Samson keep wicketsHowever, the retention aspect is well covered when Sanju Samson comes in. A while ago, CSK CEO Kashi Viswanathan said that Dhoni is unlikely to play all the games, suggesting that Sanju will be the No.1 wicketkeeper.This also meant that Dhoni will be an ‘Impact Sub’ as a batsman and now, after the injury, this decision may be forced on CSK even if their star player returns.The fact that Dhoni did not travel with the team and will not be in the ground floor clearly indicates that during the match the team will look to the new leadership group of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Samson to take critical calls, possibly in consultation with coach Stephen Fleming.
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How important is it for CSK to prepare for a future without Dhoni?
While CSK die-hards will be hoping to catch a glimpse of Dhoni in action later in the IPL at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, the next three weeks will give us an indication of the direction the five-time champions will take going forward.
