IPL 2026: Dewald Brevis ruled out of CSK's season opener against Rajasthan Royals with injury

Injury concerns continue to mount for Chennai Super Kings ahead of their Indian Premier League 2026 campaign, with Dewald Brevis being ruled out of the season opener against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on Monday, March 30. The South African batter sustained a side strain during a training session, forcing him out of the opening clash of the five-time IPL champions.

Head coach Stephen Fleming confirmed the setback during the pre-match press conference on March 28. They will be taking on Rajasthan Royals in their opening fixture. While there is no definitive timeline for Brevis’ return, the franchise remains optimistic about his availability for their second fixture against Punjab Kings on April 3.

This comes as yet another setback for the Super Kings, who are already grappling with multiple injury concerns. CSK’s former skipper MS Dhoni is expected to miss the initial phase of the tournament after suffering a calf strain. The former India captain has not travelled with the squad to Guwahati and is currently undergoing recovery in Chennai, according to the reports.

Adding to their troubles, Australian pacer Nathan Ellis has already been ruled out of the entire tournament due to a hamstring injury. His replacement, Spencer Johnson, is also recovering from a back stress issue and is likely to join the squad only in the latter half of April.

Brevis, who was roped in as an injury replacement for Gurjapneet Singh last season, had emerged as one of the few positives in an otherwise underwhelming IPL 2025 campaign for CSK. The explosive middle-order batter amassed 225 runs in six matches at an impressive average of 37.50, striking at a remarkable rate of 180.

It will be interesting to see whom the CSK will pick to replace the South African batter. Indian middle-order batter Sarfaraz Khan will be a tempting option for them, as he can take on spinners in the middle-overs, just like Brevis.