Chennai Super Kings have been dealt a major blow after their talismanic player 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.
Soon after Dhoni was ruled out, former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin, who has also represented CSK in the past, picked his strongest playing XI with Impact Player options for the five-time champions.Ashwin selected Sanju Samson as the wicketkeeper-batter and also named him as an opener alongside captain Ruturaj Gaikwad.The former CSK player slotted three attacking batters in the next positions – Urvil Patel at No. 3, Dewald Brevis at No. 4, followed by India’s T20 World Cup 2026 all-rounder Shivam Dube at No. 5.Ashwin provided two options for the No. 6 spot – Sarfaraz Khan as his first choice, with India U19 World Cup-winning captain Ayush Mhatre as the alternative. He overlooked Prashant Veer and picked Kartik Sharma for the No. 7 position.In the bowling department, Ashwin chose Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmad as the main spinners, with Hosein also offering batting depth at No. 8.For the pace attack, he went with Matt Henry and Khaleel Ahmed. 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 Baraspara Stadium in Guwahati.The 19th edition of the tournament is set to begin on Saturday, with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad in the curtain-raiser at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
