Another calf strain? Why MS Dhoni's IPL return was delayed
What's the story
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming has clarified why MS Dhoni's return in IPL 2026 has been delayed. Speaking after CSK's loss to Gujarat Titans on April 26, Fleming confirmed that Dhoni tweaked his calf during a practice game, further delaying his comeback. Initially, Dhoni was expected to miss the first two weeks of the ongoing season due to a calf injury.
Injury details
Fleming opens up on Dhoni's injury
As mentioned, Fleming revealed that Dhoni suffered a calf tweak during a warm-up game. Speaking to the media, he said, "He's pretty keen," when asked about Dhoni's return. However, he also warned that "the calf is a tough one." Fleming explained they were cautious about pushing him too hard in case of another injury. The coach added that since the setback, Dhoni has been working hard on his recovery and movement.
Rehab progress
Dhoni spotted practicing in nets
As seen on social media, Dhoni has been regularly practicing in the nets. He mostly faces throwdowns during these sessions. On Saturday, he was spotted running with the physio before batting in the nets again, where he faced spinners and throwdowns from batting coach Michael Hussey. Meanwhile, CSK are currently placed sixth on the points table with five losses in eight matches.
Numbers
A look at his IPL career
Dhoni, the most-capped player in IPL history, has 278 matches to his name, as per ESPNcricinfo. He has tallied 5,439 runs at an average of 38.30. His strike rate of 137.45 is also impressive (50s: 24). Since the start of the 2020 season, however, Dhoni has scored just 1,007 IPL runs across 88 matches. The veteran batted 36 times across 72 innings at seven or lower in this period.