Dhoni's IPL Return Delayed by Calf Setback

Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming confirmed on Sunday that MS Dhoni's return to the Indian Premier League has been further delayed by a calf injury setback during a warmup game, leaving the veteran wicketkeeper sidelined for the team's first eight matches of the 2026 season.

Dhoni, the 44-year-old former captain and CSK icon, had been recovering from an initial calf strain that was expected to keep him out for just the opening two weeks. Fleming explained that the team took a cautious approach to avoid a more severe tear, but Dhoni tweaked the muscle again in practice. "The calf is a tough one. If he takes off and rips the calf again, then he will be gone for the whole season," Fleming said after CSK's eight-wicket loss to Gujarat Titans at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. "So we pushed it early. In a warmup game, he tweaked it again, is my understanding. And since then, he has been just working hard to get some movement into it. But there was a setback."

Despite the delay, Fleming emphasized Dhoni's dedication to rehabilitation, noting close collaboration with the team's physiotherapists. "He's working hard with the physio and doing all the rehab. We're just...