After MS Dhoni, Another CSK Big-Hitter Ruled Out for Initial Stages of IPL 2026

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) faced another setback after former skipper MS Dhoni was ruled out of the initial stages of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL 2026). It is now understood that young Proteas big-hitter Dewald Brevis has also suffered a similar fate and will miss the start of the tournament, according to Revsportz.

While Dhoni will be absent since he is undergoing rehabilitation for a calf strain as confirmed by the franchise, Dewald Brevis has reportedly picked up a side strain, rendering him unfit for the first two-three CSK games.

Notably, CSK will begin their IPL 2026 campaign against inaugural champions Rajasthan Royals (RR) tomorrow (March 30) in an away encounter in Guwahati.

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How will CSK cope with the absence of Dewald Brevis?

The 22-year-old South African star was an automatic pick amongst the four overseas options, after his impressive display in CSK jersey last season. His performance was one of the few positives in an otherwise lacklustre campaign where the five-time winners finished as the bottom of the table with just four wins from 14 matches.

Dewald Brevis joined CSK midway in the season as an injury replacement and enjoyed a stellar stint, smashing 225 runs in six games at an impressive average of 37.50 and a fiery strike rate of 180.0, including two half-centuries. Thus, Brevis was going to shoulder a lot of responsibilities in IPL 2026 as the franchise aims to turn around their fortunes.

However, with Brevis now set to miss the start alongside MS Dhoni, the CSK power-hitting department has definitely taken a hit. Nevertheless, CSK have in their ranks, young talents like Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer, who have made a reputation for their big-hitting abilities in domestic cricket and were bought for record amounts of INR 14.2 crores each.

In the absence of Brevis and Dhoni, the CSK lower middle order is likely to comprise Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer, and Jamie Overton with Australian all-rounder Matt Short being slotted as the fourth overseas pick.

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