Will MS Dhoni play CSK vs PBKS IPL 2026 match? Major update arrives

Will MS Dhoni play against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) today (April 3)? That’s been a question for many Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fans since their heart-wrenching defeat in their first match of the ongoing IPL 2026 against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati.

MD Dhoni missed the match against RR because of an injury he received ahead of the tournament. The CSK management informed through an official social media post that their former captain is expected to miss multiple games in the initial stage of the tournament due to a calf strain. If the speculations are proved true, then the experienced keeper-batter is likely to remain out of competitive matches for a couple of weeks.

Will MS Dhoni play against the Punjab Kings tonight?

Chennai Super Kings played their first match of the ongoing IPL edition on March 30, and today, on April 3, it will be their second match. According to fresh media reports, the chances of seeing Dhoni play against the Punjab Kings tonight are very low.

After the Rajasthan Royals match, the 44-year-old is also likely to miss the second match of the season. Some reports have suggested that the former Team India cricketer could be on the bench.

CSK's batting order collapsed against the Rajasthan Royals

It is going to be CSK’s first home match of the ongoing IPL 2026 campaign. In their first match, the former IPL winners suffered a massive defeat by the Riyan Parag-led Rajasthan Royals. CSK faced a batting collapse against RR. They managed only 127 runs, with most of their batters departing cheaply.

Read More: Major injury update on Dewald Brevis arrives ahead of CSK vs PBKS IPL 2026 match

Jamie Overton was the main batter who deserved the credit for taking the team close to the 140-run mark. Apart from Oveton’s 43 off 36, there were only two batters in the line-up who claimed a double-digit run. On a sticky pitch of Guwahati, where the ball was moving in the first innings, 8 CSK batters were restricted to single-digit scores each. 

In front of the home crowd, the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led team will try to get their first win of the season to open their points account. Along with Gaikwad, Sanju Samson is likely to open the innings for the team, followed by some exciting Indian talents, Ayush Mhatre, Sarfaraz Khan, and many others.

Yuzvendra Chahal could take a crucial role vs CSK

On the other side, the Punjab Kings got a win over the Gujarat Titans in their opening match of the IPL 2026 season at the PCA New Cricket Stadium in Tira. It was a very close game between the two sides, separated by some individual brilliance. But the main man behind PBKS’ win by 3 wickets was the Australian all-rounder Cooper Connolly, who confirmed the win by scoring an unbeaten 72 runs off 44.

With the ball, the uncapped Indian pacer Vijaykumar Vyshak and experienced Indian spinner Yuzvendra Chahal did the needful for the team by restricting the Gujarat Titans by 162 runs. In Chennai, where the ball spins and turns significantly, Chahal could take a major role again.