Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will start their IPL 2026 campaign without middle-order batter Dewald Brevis. The 22-year-old South African has been ruled out of CSK’s opening match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) after suffering a side strain during training.
CSK head coach Stephen Fleming confirmed the news at the pre-match press conference at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday. “Brevis is out. He had a side injury during training. So again, he is rehabbing. CSK is hopeful he will be fit again soon,” said Fleming.
How Long Will He Be Out?
The 22-year-old is expected to miss CSK’s first two to three matches, ruling him out of the fixtures against RR (March 30), Punjab Kings (April 3), and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (April 5).
CSK’s Injury Problems Keep Growing
The Brevis news comes at a very bad time for CSK. Brevis and Dhoni’s absence would weaken the middle and lower order, with CSK left to pick from an inexperienced bunch to fill in for the opener.
Fast bowler Nathan Ellis has already been ruled out of the season, while former captain MS Dhoni is expected to miss the first two weeks of the competition due to a calf strain. It is understood that Dhoni has not travelled with the team to Guwahati and has stayed back in Chennai instead to focus on his recovery.
Left-arm pacer Spencer Johnson, named as Ellis’ replacement, is due to join the squad on April 21 as he continues his recovery from a back stress fracture issue.
Who Can Replace Brevis?
Australia’s batting all-rounder Matt Short, who joined the CSK squad on March 22, could be an option to fill the gap. In the absence of both Dhoni and Brevis, CSK may also hand debuts to Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer, who were each bought for INR 14.2 crore at last year’s auction in Abu Dhabi.
