Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson To Open For CSK In IPL 2026? R Ashwin Picks Chennai's 'Ideal' Playing XI After MS Dhoni's Injury

IPL 2026: Former cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has picked Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) ‘ideal’ Playing XI for the upcoming 2026 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

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On Saturday, March 28, CSK announced via their official social media handle that MS Dhoni will not be available for the first two weeks of IPL 2026 as the veteran is currently undergoing rehabilitation for a calf strain.

“MS Dhoni is currently undergoing rehabilitation for a calf strain. As a result, he is likely to miss the first two weeks of TATA IPL 2026. Get well soon, Thala,” CSK wrote on X.

Following the update on Dhoni’s injury, Ashwin took to his official X handle to share his ‘ideal’ Playing XI for the Chennai-based franchise.

R Ashwin Picks CSK's Playing XI In IPL 2026

The former cricketer named Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson as openers, followed by Urvil Patel, Dewald Brevis, and Shivam Dube. For the fifth spot, he suggested either Sarfaraz Khan or Ayush Mhatre.

He also included Akeal Hosein, Noor Ahmad, Matt Henry, and Khaleel Ahmed in his preferred XI.

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“So!! This should be ideal. Ruturaj, Samson, Urvil, Brevis, Dube, Sarfaraz/Ayush, Kartik Sharma, Akeal, Noor, Henry, Khaleel, Kamboj/Ghosh/Rahul/Gopal. After 2 weeks, there will be enough info available to tweak if needed,” Ashwin wrote on X.

CSK To Start IPL 2026 Voyage Against RR

In the 2025 season, CSK endured a poor campaign, finishing 10th in the standings with eight points and a net run rate of -0.647. The franchise played 14 matches, winning four and losing 10.

CSK will begin their 2026 IPL campaign against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on March 30.

Dhoni has featured in 278 matches and 242 innings in his IPL career, scoring 5,439 runs at a strike rate of 137.45 and an average of 38.30. He has registered 24 half-centuries but is yet to score a century in the tournament.

In IPL 2025, the 44-year-old played 14 matches and batted in 13 innings, scoring 196 runs at a strike rate of 135.17 and an average of 24.50.