Dhoni out for 2 weeks, Samson starts; ex-CSK star reveals starting lineup

Chennai Super Kings take major blow after their talisman player MS Dhoni He was ruled out of the first two weeks of IPL 2026 due to a calf strain.“Ms Dhoni is currently undergoing rehabilitation from a calf strain. Therefore, he may miss the first two weeks of IPL 2026. ” the team 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 squad and impact player options for the five-time champions.Ashwin selected Sanzhou Samson as a wicketkeeper-batsman and appointed him as the opener along with captain Ruturaj Gaikwad.The former CSK player has three attacking batsmen next – Urvil Patel at third and Dewald Brevis at fourth, followed by India 2026 T20 all-rounder Shivam Dube at fifth.Ashwin has offered two options for the sixth spot – Sarfaraz Khan as his first choice and India U19 World Cup-winning captain Ayush Mhatt as his replacement. He ignored Prashant Veer and selected Kartik Sharma for the seventh pick.On the bowling front, Ashwin has chosen Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmad as the main spinners, with Hosein also providing batting depth at number eight.For a speed attack, he selected Matt Henry and Khalil Ahmed. Ashwin also listed options for four impactful players – Anshul Kamboj, Shreyas Gopal, Ramakrishna Ghosh and Rahul Chahal.Ashwin’s CSK starting 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 Players: Anshul Kamboj / Shrias Gopal / Ramakrishna Ghosh / Rahul ChahalCSK will begin their IPL 2026 season on March 30 against Rajasthan Royals at the Baraspara Stadium in Guwahati.The 19th edition of the tournament will kick off on Saturday with defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.