IPL 2026: CSK’s MS Dhoni will not play for the first 2 weeks due to leg injury. In his absence, Sanju Samson will take over the responsibility of wicketkeeping.
Chennai: Only a few days are left for the new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to start, but even before that, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has suffered a major blow. Due to a leg injury, the team’s most reliable player MS Dhoni will not be able to play the first two weeks of the tournament. This information was given officially by the Chennai Super Kings franchise itself on Saturday. CSK’s first match is against Rajasthan Royals at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati on Monday evening.
CSK said in an official statement, “MS Dhoni is currently undergoing treatment for a leg injury. Because of this he may miss the first two weeks of IPL 2026. We wish him a speedy recovery, Thala.”
Sanju Samson will handle the responsibility behind the wicket
In Dhoni’s absence, India’s opening batsman Sanju Samson will take over the wicketkeeping duties. The team management is considering Sanju as Dhoni’s successor. Let us tell you that before the auction held in December last year, Sanju came to the Chennai team through a big trade. CSK had given two big players like Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to Rajasthan Royals to include Sanju in their team.
How was Dhoni’s last season?
Dhoni retired from international cricket in 2020 and since then he is active only in IPL. Last season, he played all 14 matches for Chennai. During this period, Dhoni had scored 196 runs at a strike rate of 135.17. When Ruturaj Gaikwad was out due to injury in the last season, Dhoni also captained the team. Dhoni’s injury has undoubtedly increased the worries of the Chennai camp, but having a player like Sanju Samson in the team is definitely a matter of relief for the fans.