Ahead of his side's Indian Premier League (IPL) clash against Punjab Kings (PBKS), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Head Coach Stephen Fleming spoke on stalwart MS Dhoni's "heavy" influence and involvement within the team and offered a fitness update on South African batter Dewald Brevis.

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CSK opened their campaign with a horrific eight-wicket loss to Rajasthan Royals at Guwahati, putting up just 127 on the board and getting blown away by a whirlwind 15-ball half-century by Vaibhav Suryavanshi. With Dhoni out for the first two weeks due to a calf strain, the first signs of a life without Dhoni were not at all promising and cheerful for the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side. CSK broke a massive 277-streak as they played without either Dhoni or Suresh Raina in their playing XI.

Dhoni's 'heavy' influence

Speaking during the pre-match presser, Fleming said about Dhoni's absence, "It is just a game without him. He is still heavily involved in the side, and his influence remains very strong."

Brevis' fitness update

The young South African hitter Brevis missed the campaign opener against RR. Fleming said that Brevis is currently undergoing rehab and expressed hope he would return on time. Last season, Brevis had made 225 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 180.00, with two fifties, coming in as an injury replacement. "Yes, Brevis is out and is currently rehabbing. Hopefully, it won't be too long before he returns," he said.

Focus on a good start

The Super Kings have a mix of youth and experience in their squad for the 2026 IPL season and the head coach said that the team is focused on starting the tournament well. "We have invested in youth and Indian talent, and there is real energy in the group. The first game is always a good barometer, and we are focused on starting well," added Fleming.

Chennai Super Kings Squad:

Sanju Samson(w), Ayush Mhatre, Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Urvil Patel, Matthew Short, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Matt Henry, Anshul Kamboj, Akeal Hosein, Sarfaraz Khan, MS Dhoni, Dewald Brevis, Shreyas Gopal, Rahul Chahar, Spencer Johnson, Mukesh Choudhary, Aman Khan, Gurjapneet Singh, Zakary Foulkes, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer. (ANI)