IPL 2026: CSK's injury woes mount with Dewald Brevis set to miss opening clash

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Dewald Brevis will miss his team’s opening game of the Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026), confirmed head coach Stephen Fleming. CSK will begin their campaign against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Monday, March 30, at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati.

However, Brevis won't be part of the game as he picked up a side injury during training and is undergoing rehabilitation. He was retained by CSK ahead of the season for Rs 2.20 crore after his explosive performances in 2025. The 22-year-old scored 225 runs from six innings at an average of at an average of 37.50 and a strike rate of 180 after joining the franchise midway through the last season as a replacement for Gurjapneet Singh.

"Brevis is out, he had a side injury during training. He's rehabing, hopefully it won't be for too long," said Fleming was quoted as saying by CSK's social media accounts.

With Brevis ruled out, CSK have the option to slot in Australia all-rounder Matt Short in the middle order in his place. His injury will add to CSK’s woes, who’re already suffering from multiple players’ unavailability. Fast bowler Nathan Ellis has been ruled out of the entire tournament with a hamstring injury, and MS Dhoni is set to miss the first two weeks of the tournament because of a calf strain.

The five-time champions have signed Spencer Johnson as Ellis’ replacement; however, the left-arm seamer is also recovering from an injury himself and is set to link up with CSK midway through the season. 

Can CSK bounce back in 2026?

Johnson has played five ODIs and eight T20Is for Australia, having taken 18 wickets in total. In his T20 career, he has scalped 85 wickets from 71 innings at an average of 22.94 and an economy of 7.94. The left-arm seamer has previously played for Gujarat Titans (GT) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and has scalped five wickets in his IPL career.

CSK had their worst-ever season in IPL history during the 2025 edition, finishing last on the points table with just four wins from 14 matches, having eight points to their name. The Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side will aim for a good start this season, having made several changes to their squad in the mini auction.