3 players who could replace MS Dhoni at CSK if he is ruled out of entire IPL 2026

MS Dhoni suffered a calf strain just ahead of the start of IPL 2026.

Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were struck with a huge blow, just days ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. Their former captain and the heart of this CSK team, MS Dhoni, has been ruled out of first two weeks of the league.

Dhoni is currently 44 years old, and it is increasingly difficult to manage an athlete’s body at this age, especially since he plays just two months of professional cricket now. Dhoni sustained a calf strain and as a result will miss the first two weeks of IPL 2026.

CSK will begin their IPL 2026 campaign against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on March 30 in Guwahati. Ruturaj Gaikwad will lead the team, but this would mark the first ever time in CSK’s IPL history that they play a game in the absence of their iconic Indian trio of MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja.

With Dhoni being 44, there are chances that his injury might aggravate, and in that case, he might even get ruled out of the entire tournament. On that note, we take a look at 3 players who could replace Dhoni at CSK if he is ruled out of entire IPL 2026.

Players who could replace injured MS Dhoni at CSK if he is ruled out of entire IPL 2026

3. KS Bharat

With already plenty of options in the current CSK squad, the team might just look at securing a backup wicket-keeper. KS Bharat was once a regular name in India’s Test squad, but has not really set the stage on fire in the shortest format.

However, he has one of the best hands behind the stumps currently in India. The likes of Ayush Mhatre, Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma, and Prashant Veer can be used to fill the Dhoni void, and Bharat can play the role of an extra keeper, and act as cover for Sanju Samson.

Bharat last played IPL in 2024 for Kolkata Knight Riders, and was earlier also part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans. He has so far scored 199 runs in the 11 matches he played, at a strike rate of 122.

2. Mayank Agarwal

Mayank Agarwal is one of the most experienced Indian batters who surprisingly went unsold at this year’s auction. Once retained for big bucks by Punjab Kings, Agarwal lost his form dramatically and was no longer considered by IPL teams.

However, the Karnataka batter is coming on the back of a decent domestic season and his ability to play spin is still one of the best amongst the current Indian players. He also played a huge role for RCB last year, replacing Devdutt Padikkal and scoring valuable knocks in key matches.

1. Abhinav Manohar

Abhinav Manohar might possibly be the best replacement and a like-for-like on for MS Dhoni at CSK. Manohar was another unexpected name to not find a team in the auction. His tall height and free swing allows him to clear boundaries with ease.

There was a lot of expectation hovering around him but he failed to deliver for his previous teams including Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad. However, CSK could possibly mould him into their finisher and this could be a perfect match for both the franchise and the player.

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