Chennai Super Kings have dealt another blow to their IPL 2026 plans, ruling out left-arm fast bowler Khaleel Ahmed for the rest of the season due to a right quadriceps injury. The franchise confirmed that the problem will require a recovery period longer than 12 weeks.
Khaleel picked up the injury during CSK’s most recent match against Kolkata Knight Riders at Chennai on April 14. He was forced to leave the field after delivering just five balls into what would have been the final over. With the over completed by rookie Gurjapneet Singh, the young seamer may now be asked to take on an increased share of responsibilities while Khaleel remains unavailable.
The setback adds to an already stretched CSK bowling and squad situation, with MS Dhoni and Nathan Ellis also sidelined. Dhoni is working his way back from a calf injury, and CSK indicated earlier that his return timeline could extend beyond the initial two-week window. On March 28, the opening day of the campaign, the team had said Dhoni was “likely to miss the first two weeks” and that he would go through a structured rehabilitation phase. Although Dhoni has been training alongside his teammates, his workload has been limited to throwdowns, and he has not yet moved into full-intensity batting.
Ellis, meanwhile, has been ruled out for the entire tournament. His replacement, Spencer Johnson, is also in recovery mode and has not yet joined CSK’s playing group.
With Khaleel out, CSK are weighing options for the left-arm pace role. Mukesh Choudhary and Ramakrishna Ghosh are among the candidates to come into the XI. Choudhary, a left-arm seamer, could offer a direct stylistic replacement, while Ghosh is a right-arm quick who can also contribute with the bat if required.
Ghosh arrives with momentum from the 2025-26 domestic circuit. He was Maharashtra’s standout performer during the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he produced the best List A figures for the state in an innings. Against Himachal Pradesh in Jaipur, he returned figures of 7 for 42. In the same competition, Ghosh also struck an unbeaten 64 off 27 balls against Mumbai.
CSK currently sit with two victories from their first five matches. Their next assignment is against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad on Saturday.
