Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has provided a big update on MS Dhoni’s return as the legendary keeper-batter missed the third consecutive IPL 2026 match. At the toss against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Gaikwad revealed that the former CSK skipper’s progress is tracking quite well and is eager to return to action.
MS Dhoni’s calf injury forces him to miss CSK’s first two matches of IPL 2026
The former Super Kings captain has been nursing a calf injury that has forced him to miss the start of IPL 2026. Although the 44-year-old had recently resumed batting in the nets, it seems he will need time to return to match fitness and thus will miss the massive clash against RCB. Dhoni could also take as long as the end of April to return to the field. It’s worth noting that Gaikwad has still not provided a fixed date for Dhoni’s return.
It also means that the fans will be deprived of seeing Dhoni and Kohli going against one another. Although the Royal Challengers will start as overwhelming favourites, the Super Kings will take confidence from winning 21 out of 35 games against the opposition. Nevertheless, RCB beat CSK on both occasions in IPL 2025, a year when they finally lifted the coveted IPL trophy.
Chennai Super Kings crash to their sixth consecutive defeat at home
Meanwhile, Friday’s encounter between the Super Kings and Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the M.A Chidambaram Stadium saw the Yellow Army crash to their sixth consecutive defeat at home.
With 210 for PBKS to win after Ayush Mhatre’s 73, Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh went hammer and tongs to pile on the pressure early on the Super Kings. New Zealand’s experienced seamer Matt Henry was at the receiving end of leaking 20 runs as the openers combined to hammer three boundaries and a six. Arya was particularly destructive, clobbering 39 off 10 deliveries before Henry cleaned him up in the 11th.
Prabhsimran and Cooper Connolly experienced a miscommunication that resulted in the former’s departure for 38. But Connolly, who struck 72* on his IPL debut, kept going the momentum before perishing for 36. Shreyas Iyer hit a 26-ball half-century before his departure, with Nehal Wadhera following him in the very next ball. However, Shashank Singh and Marcus Stoinis saw the team over the line, helping Punjab Kings complete a 200+ run-chase for the ninth occasion. The five-time champions have also gone with the same side.
