CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson will open the innings for Chennai in IPL 2026. (Photo: CSK/X)Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin picked his Chennai Super Kings playing XI without MS Dhoni after the talismanic wicketkeeper-batter was ruled out of the first two weeks of IPL 2026 on Saturday.The 39-year-old picked Kartik Sharma to bat at number 7, a slot that Dhoni may have occupied had he been fit and ready to play the first match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Guwahati on Monday. They will play their first home match of IPL 2026 against the Punjab Kings on April 3.“So!! This should be ideal. Ruturaj, Samson, Urvil, Brevis, Dube, Sarfaraz/Ayush, Kartik Sharma, Akeal, Noor, Henry, Khaleel, Kamboj/Ghosh/Rahul/Gopal. After 2 weeks, there will be enough info available to tweak if needed,” Ashwin wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday.So!! This should be ideal.RuturajSamsonUrvilBrevisDubeSarfaraz/AyushKartik SharmaAkealNoorHenryKhaleelKamboj/Ghosh/Rahul/GopalAfter 2 weeks, there will be enough info available to tweak if needed.#6TL #Aarupadaiyappan— Ashwin (@ashwinravi99) March 28, 2026Dhoni’s absence from the first two weeks of the tournament should clear the path for Sanju Samson to take the gloves for the five-time champions. The 31-year-old was swapped from RR ahead of IPL 2026, in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran in one of the most high-profile transfers in recent history.CSK also splurged big at the 2025 auction on two youngsters – Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer – spending Rs 14.2 crore each on both players, and in Dhoni’s absence, both players could have key roles to play for the franchise in the initial matches of IPL 2026.Dhoni had led CSK for a major part of IPL 2025, after Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the tournament due to a fractured elbow. The five-time champions endured a torrid season, finishing 10th on the points table.A few months after the season finished, Ashwin announced his retirement from IPL cricket in a bid to play overseas leagues. He was set to become the first male player to feature in the Big Bash League last season, having signed up to play for Sydney Thunder, but had to withdraw after undergoing a knee operation.Stay updated with the latest sports news across Cricket, Football, Chess, and more. Catch all the action with real-time live cricket score updates and in-depth coverage of ongoing matches.© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd