Dhoni suffers fresh injury blow as CSK coach reveals ‘second injury’

Dubai: Just last week, MS Dhoni’s long-awaited IPL 2026 debut appeared imminent after he was seen putting in an intense on-field session at Wankhede Stadium, but Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) coach, Stephen Fleming, has now delivered a fresh blow, revealing a concerning second injury setback.

The veteran wicketkeeper-batter has missed the opening phase of IPL 2026 due to a calf strain, with Fleming saying the 44-year-old has “tweaked” it again.

Speaking on Dhoni’s fitness, the CSK coach said: “The calf is a tough one. If he takes off and rips it again, then he will be gone.

“We pushed it early, and in the warm-up game he tweaked it again, it's my understanding.

“Since then, he has just been working hard to get some movement into it, but there was a setback, so it has taken longer than we thought.”

The setback comes just a week after it was reported that Dhoni spent around 40 minutes keeping wickets in the nets, as part of CSK training.

The session was seen as a significant milestone in his recovery, with observers noting it as one of his first full wicketkeeping workloads of the season.

Speculation grew over his involvement in CSK’s clash with Mumbai Indians, but when matchday arrived, Dhoni was nowhere to be seen.

“He is the guide on this one, and he's working hard with the physio and doing all the rehab, and we're just waiting for the word,” Fleming continued.

“All I can say is stop making light of it, as he is progressing and doing everything he can.”

His absence has forced the team to reshuffle both their leadership setup and on-field combinations, especially behind the stumps, where his vast experience has long been key in orchestrating bowlers and setting fields.

The franchise had previously made it clear that he would miss the opening weeks of the tournament, with his return depending entirely on recovery progress and ongoing fitness assessments.