IPL 2026: CSK Suffers Fresh Setback As Dewald Brevis Ruled Out Of Rajasthan Royals Clash With Side Strain

CSK Injury Crisis IPL 2026: Hard-hitting batter Dewald Brevis has been ruled out of Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 opener against Rajasthan Royals (RR) due to a side strain.

This is a major blow to CSK, who are likely to be without MS Dhoni for the first two weeks of the tournament due to a calf strain.

On the eve of the CSK vs RR clash, Chennai head coach Stephen Fleming confirmed that Brevis will miss the match due to a side strain.

"Brevis is out. He had a side injury during training. So again, he is rehabbing," said Fleming in the pre-match press conference at the ACA Stadium on Sunday. 

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Brevis' absence leaves a substantial gap in CSK's middle order, with the South Africa batter likely to miss 2-3 matches. Retained for Rs 2.20 crore, Brevis had a blistering IPL 2025 with his volatile batting style, scoring 225 runs in 6 matches at 37.50, with two half-centuries.

CSK remains hopeful of Brevis' quick recovery, though his availability for the April 3 clash against Punjab Kings is debatable.

Chennai Super Kings' injury woes continue, with seamer Nathan Ellis ruled out of IPL 2026 due to a hamstring injury. His replacement, Spencer Johnson, is also healing from a back stress injury and is anticipated to join the squad between April 21 and 23.

When will MS Dhoni return?

According to many media reports, Dhoni has been ruled out of Chennai Super Kings' first two weeks of IPL 2026 due to a calf strain.

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"It would be a game without him. But he's still heavily involved in the side. So, he's got obviously an injury that we're getting right, rehabbing. But his influence is still very strong. Hopefully it won't be too long (before he is back)," Fleming said.

“MS Dhoni is currently undergoing rehabilitation for a calf strain. As a result, he is likely to miss the first two weeks of IPL 2026,” CSK said in a release on March 28.