Who Will Take MS Dhoni’s Spot in CSK’s Batting Order Against RR?

Former captain MS Dhoni will be a big miss for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their tournament opener against Rajasthan Royals (RR). The match will be played at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on March 30.

Just ahead of the start of IPL 2026, MS Dhoni was ruled out of the first few games for CSK. As per the official statement by the franchise, the keeper-batter sustained a calf strain, which appears to be much more serious than expected.

Dhoni, one of the best players in IPL, suffered an injury on March 22, and as per several media reports, the former captain of the franchise will be missing at least six games in the season, which got underway on March 28.

Who Will Be MS Dhoni Replacement CSK Batting Order?

With Dhoni set to miss the RR vs CSK IPL 2026 clash, this leaves a massive void in the side. Not only would the team need a batter, but also a keeper, who could be quick behind the stumps and help his captain take calls related to DRS.

For the keeper’s role, CSK have options in the form of Sanju Samson, Sarfaraz Khan, and Urvil Patel. If they want to go out of the box, they also have the captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who kept wickets in the domestic circuit. But, it has been cleared by CSK’s CEO that Sanju Samson will be the MS Dhoni replacement CSK in the batting order. He will open the batting alongside Ruturaj Gaikwad.

"Sanju (Samson) will keep wickets in the absence of Thala (MS Dhoni). The way he was welcomed in Chennai in our pre-season event shows how much the fans love him,” CSK CEO told RevSportz.

Samson has been performing the same role for India and was sensational behind the stumps in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. He has also kept wickets for every team he has played for in the Indian Premier League. In the 177 games, Sanju has taken 86 catches and effected 17 stumpings.

Who Will be MS Dhoni Batting Replacement in RR vs CSK Match?

In terms of batting, CSK, one of the best teams in IPL, would be looking for a finisher, who could take Dhoni’s spot in the XI. For this role, they have an option in the form of Urvil Patel. The young batter is known for hitting long sixes, which was evident in the last season itself.

Urvil played 3 games for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026 and scored 68 runs with a strike rate of 212.50. The sample size is small but he showed why he can be considered for the role down the order in the absence of Dhoni.

Meanwhile, the match is expected to be an exciting one between these two sides considering the CSK vs RR H2H numbers. CSK are marginally ahead with 16 as compared to RR's 15, which makes this a highly anticipated clash.