India, March 29 -- MS Dhoni's injury absence may extend well beyond Chennai Super Kings' original estimate, with a Times of India report saying the veteran is now unlikely to return before the last week of April after suffering a calf strain in training. That marks a significant shift from the franchise's earlier position, which had suggested Dhoni would miss only the first two weeks of IPL 2026. If the latter timeline holds, CSK could be without him for at least six matches in the opening phase of the season, turning what first looked like a short-term setback into one of the biggest early developments of their campaign.

Dhoni, 44, had been training hard for over a month before picking up the injury and is now staying back in Chennai fo...