Will Dewald Brevis, MS Dhoni play today's RCB vs CSK game?

CSK arrive at the Chinnaswamy Stadium tonight for the Southern Derby against RCB having already lost their first two games of IPL 2026, and the injury situation around two of their most important players has been the biggest talking point in the Chennai camp all week.

MS Dhoni and Dewald Brevis have both been absent from the playing XI so far this season and with a must-win game against the defending champions looming tonight, the question every CSK fan is asking is simple, will either of them be available?

Based on the latest information, neither MS Dhoni nor Dewald Brevis is expected to feature tonight at the Chinnaswamy, with CSK set to take the field without both players for the third consecutive game.

Dewald brevis closing in on return but not tonight vs RCB

Dewald Brevis picked up a side strain during a pre-season training session that ruled him out of the opening phase of the tournament entirely.

According to a report from RevSportz, he has already rejoined the squad and was seen in practice sessions ahead of the PBKS fixture, with CSK targeting his return for the Delhi Capitals game on April 11.

Tonight is one game too early for the player they call Baby AB. That is a painful reality for CSK given the nature of this venue, the Chinnaswamy's short boundaries and fast outfield are tailor-made for Dewald Brevis's aggressive boundary-clearing style, and he was pencilled in as CSK's X-factor specifically for games like this one.

Instead Ayush Mhatre continues to fill a role that was originally designed for him.

IPL 2026: MS Dhoni's calf strain and long wait for his return

The franchise had issued an official update on X confirming that MS Dhoni is recovering from a calf strain and was likely to miss the first two weeks of IPL 2026.

The encouraging sign is that he has rejoined the squad and was spotted doing range hitting and light fitness exercises ahead of the Punjab Kings game, which sent fan excitement through the roof and had every CSK supporter convinced a comeback was imminent.

But the fact that MS Dhoni did not feature against PBKS and has not yet been cleared for full training with the rest of the squad tells you that tonight comes too soon.

MS Dhoni presence at the nets has kept the hope alive but CSK will not rush their most iconic player back before his calf is genuinely ready, regardless of how desperate the situation in the points table becomes.

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What a third IPL game without them means for CSK

Two defeats from two games, a third consecutive match without either MS Dhoni or Dewald Brevis, and now a trip to Bengaluru to face the defending champions in front of one of the loudest crowds in world cricket.

This is as difficult a run of circumstances as CSK could have imagined heading into the season. Gaikwad and Sanju Samson have responsibilities on their shoulders buy they failed to provide good starts to their team yey, the finishing responsibilities have fallen on Shivam Dube and Sarfaraz Khan, and the team is yet to find the cohesion and momentum that has made them so formidable in previous seasons.

The hope within the franchise is that both players return soon and change the equation quickly, but tonight in Bengaluru they must find a way without them, and a third straight defeat is simply not something CSK can afford if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive.

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