Chennai Super Kings got a little boost ahead of their first home game of IPL 2026, as MS Dhoni and Dewald Brewis were seen training in the nets in Chepauk on April 3.
Both the players could not play in the opening match against Rajasthan Royals due to injury. Dhoni is suffering from a calf strain, while Brevis is recovering from a side strain. His return to practice is a good sign, but his availability for the Punjab Kings clash is unclear.
CSK had a difficult start to the season. They were all out for just 127 runs in their opening match, which Rajasthan Royals achieved in just 12.1 overs. The heavy defeat also hurt CSK’s net run rate at the start of the tournament.
In the absence of Brevis, CSK tried a different combination. Matthew Short was sent in at No. 4, while Sarfaraz Khan came in as an impressive substitute after the top order collapsed under pressure.
Injury concerns continue
While Dhoni’s presence in the nets grabbed attention, he has been officially ruled out for at least two weeks. A clear update on his fitness is expected around the 13th day of his recovery period.
The situation with Brevis is a little better, but still uncertain. CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad admitted that there is no clear update yet.
“Today he has been discharged, so I am not really sure. Yesterday, we had no conversation,” Gaikwad said during the pre-match press conference.
CSK now face a confident Punjab Kings team, who come into this match after defeating Gujarat Titans in their first match. The challenge does not end here, as CSK will soon travel to Bengaluru to face Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 5.
With a tough schedule ahead and key players still not fully fit, CSK will need to find the right balance quickly. The return of Dhoni and Brewis, even if only for training, provides hope, but the team still has to take big decisions before the PBKS game.
