MS Dhoni Sidelined by Injury as KKR Wins Toss and Elects to Bowl Against CSK
Chennai Super Kings fans waiting to see MS Dhoni in action during the ongoing Indian Premier League season will have to wait longer. The veteran wicketkeeper-batter remains unavailable for selection due to an ongoing calf strain, missing his fifth consecutive match as CSK faces Kolkata Knight Riders at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
MS Dhoni Injury Status
Despite being spotted batting in the nets earlier this week, MS Dhoni is still completing his medical rehabilitation protocol. The Chennai Super Kings management initially stated on March 28 that the former captain would be sidelined for the first two weeks of the tournament. While that period has expired, Dhoni has yet to regain full match fitness and has not traveled with the squad for away fixtures. Ruturaj Gaikwad, the current CSK captain, did not provide a specific timeline for Dhoni’s return during the pre-match proceedings.
Toss Report: KKR Elects to Field
Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and elected to bowl first against Chennai Super Kings. Rahane emphasized the importance of a fresh start after a recent narrow defeat.
“Looking to bowl first. The last game was really good for us, but unfortunately, the result didn’t go our way. It is important to have belief, stay positive, and win the small moments in the T20 format,” Rahane stated. He confirmed one change to the KKR playing XI, with Varun Chakaravarthy returning to full fitness to replace Navdeep Saini.
CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad confirmed his team remains unchanged, expressing confidence in his bowling unit after successfully defending 210 runs against Delhi Capitals in their previous fixture. “The wicket has not changed much. We are slowly getting our combinations right, and it is just about delivering in each game and staying consistent,” Gaikwad noted.
Starting Lineups
Both teams have finalized their rosters for the match. For comprehensive league tracking, refer to the official IPL match center.
Chennai Super Kings
- Ruturaj Gaikwad (c)
- Sanju Samson (wk)
- Ayush Mhatre
- Sarfaraz Khan
- Shivam Dube
- Dewald Brevis
- Jamie Overton
- Noor Ahmad
- Anshul Kamboj
- Gurjapneet Singh
- Khaleel Ahmed
Kolkata Knight Riders
- Ajinkya Rahane (c)
- Angkrish Raghuvanshi (wk)
- Cameron Green
- Rovman Powell
- Rinku Singh
- Sunil Narine
- Ramandeep Singh
- Anukul Roy
- Varun Chakaravarthy
- Vaibhav Arora
- Kartik Tyagi
MS Dhoni IPL Career Statistics
As Dhoni works toward returning to the active roster, his historical performance metrics highlight his offensive value. According to data from ESPNcricinfo and the BCCI, he currently ranks as the sixth-highest run-scorer in the tournament’s history.
| Matches | Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 50s | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 278 | 242 | 5,439 | 38.30 | 137.45 | 24 | 84* |
Last season, Dhoni recorded 196 runs in 13 innings at an average of 24.50 and a strike rate exceeding 135. The CSK medical staff will continue monitoring his calf recovery before clearing him for competitive play.