Mumbai, April 27: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming has indicated that Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s return for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 will be further delayed. The experienced wicketkeeper-batsman has faced another setback while recovering from a calf injury.
Fans had hoped that Dhoni would return to the field after missing the first two weeks of IPL 2026. However, he has now been sidelined for nearly a month. CSK has already played eight matches in the tournament, during which their former captain has not stepped onto the field.
Following CSK’s defeat to Gujarat Titans on Sunday, Fleming provided an update, revealing that the 42-year-old Dhoni’s injury worsened during a practice session, complicating his recovery. Initially, it was considered a minor issue.
Speaking to the media after the loss to Gujarat Titans, Fleming stated, “He (Dhoni) is very eager to play. However, a calf injury can be quite challenging. If he pushes himself to run and re-injures the calf, he could miss the entire tournament. We had initially tested him during warm-up matches. As far as I know, his injury flared up again at that time. Since then, he has been working hard to improve his condition, but he has faced another setback, so his return is taking longer than we expected.”
Fleming emphasized that the final decision regarding Dhoni’s return will be made by the player himself, while the team’s support staff continues to monitor his progress. He added, “In this matter, he is our guide. He is working hard with the physio and doing all the rehab exercises. We are just waiting for his next update, but I can only say that we should not take this lightly, as he is consistently improving and doing everything possible on his part.”
Despite being absent from the initial matches of IPL 2026, Dhoni has been actively participating in practice sessions. He has often been seen working on his batting in the nets, focusing primarily on ‘throw-downs’ (balls thrown by a bowling machine or coach). In recent days, he has gradually increased his training load. On Saturday, he was spotted running under the supervision of the team’s physio. Following that, he spent some time facing spin bowlers and batting coach Michael Hussey’s deliveries.
Last week, before the match against Mumbai Indians, the former CSK captain was also seen wearing wicketkeeping gloves during the team’s practice session at Wankhede Stadium.
My name is Narendra Jijhontiya. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including TECHNOLOGY, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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