MS Dhoni and Dewald Brevis (Agency Image) Chennai Super Kings began their IPL 2026 campaign without two key players, with MS Dhoni and Dewald Brevis unavailable for their opening match against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati.Brevis was ruled out of the match due to a side strain, with head coach Stephen Fleming confirming that the young South African is currently undergoing rehabilitation. “He’s in rehab and hopefully it won’t be too long,” Fleming said on the eve of the game. His absence is a setback for CSK given his ability to provide explosive firepower in the middle order.
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CSK is organizing a fan engagement event in Chepauk ahead of IPL 2026 Dhoni’s absence, meanwhile, is part of a somewhat longer-term concern. The former ČSK captain is expected to miss the first two weeks of the tournament due to a calf strain. In recent years, Dhoni has already dealt with knee problems while playing only in the IPL, but has remained a constant presence in the side, even leading them to their fifth title in 2023. But this time, CSK will have to go through the early stages without him.With Dhoni unavailable, Ruturaj Gaikwad continues as captain while Sanju Samson steps in as wicketkeeper and opener.The toss also reflected the conditions, with Rajasthan Royals electing to bowl first after rain in Guwahati left the surface damp. Both teams acknowledged the impact of the weather, but it will be a bigger challenge for CSK to adjust to life without two key players at the start of their campaign. Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Riyan Parag (c), Dhruv Jurel (w), Shimron Hetmyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Brijesh SharmaChennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Sanju Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Ayush Mhatre, Matthew Short, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma(w), Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Matt Henry, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed
