MS Dhoni's calf injury worsened after warm-up game, reveals CSK coach Stephen Fleming
Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming said MS Dhoni’s return from a calf strain has been delayed after the injury became worse during a warm-up game before IPL 2026. Fleming gave the update after CSK lost by eight wickets to Gujarat Titans at the M. A.
Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday. Dhoni has been with the squad since March and has been seen in practice sessions and warm-up games, but he has not played any of CSK’s eight matches so far. He has also not been at the ground on match days.
Fleming said the injury remains a concern because another setback could rule Dhoni out for the whole season. "The calf is a tough one," CSK head coach Stephen Fleming said after they went down to Gujarat Titans by eight wickets on Sunday. "If he takes off and rips the calf again, then he will be gone [for the whole season].
So we pushed it early. In a warm-up 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,” Fleming said during the press conference. The 44-year-old has played IPL matches in the past while carrying injuries, but this time the recovery is taking longer than CSK expected. Four days ago, CSK had also shared a video on social media where captain Ruturaj Gaikwad explained what happened before the season.