Amid rising concerns and speculation over MS Dhoni's continued absence from IPL 2026, Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming dropped a bombshell, revealing that the delay in his first appearance this season was due to a second injury. Speaking to the press in Chennai after the team's fifth defeat in IPL 2026, Fleming said that the former captain had tweaked his calf again.
Chennai Super Kings' head coach Stephen Fleming, left, with MS Dhoni during a training session (PTI)
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A calf injury had sidelined Dhoni since the start of the season. CSK had initially said he would need two weeks to recover, but at the four-week mark, there is still no update on when he will make his first appearance for Chennai in IPL 2026.
Fleming revealed on Sunday that Dhoni had tweaked his calf during a warm-up game. “He's pretty keen,” the coach said. “The calf is a tough one, though. 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.”
Dhoni has been a regular at the Chennai nets, but has limited himself to facing only throwdowns. More recently, ahead of the match against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium earlier this week, speculation was rife over his return after he was seen keeping wickets in the nets. However, he did not even show up at the venue on match day, nor was he seen at Chepauk on Sunday during the home game against the Titans.
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“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 added. “All I can say is stop making light of it, as he is progressing and doing everything he can.”
Chennai are currently placed sixth in the points table, with five defeats from eight games. They have a five-day break until their next match, a home fixture against the Mumbai Indians on May 2. But given Fleming's comments, it is likely that Dhoni might miss that game as well.
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.
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Home/Cricket/MS Dhoni’s IPL 2026 absence takes shocking turn as Stephen Fleming drops ‘second injury’ bomb
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