Ben Stokes has suffered injury setback and will be out for a week, confirms CSK head coach Stephen Fleming

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming confirmed that England all-rounder Ben Stokes has suffered an injury setback and will be out for a week.

Stokes, one of CSK’s most expensive players in the IPL history, has played only the first two games for Chennai before getting ruled out of a match against Mumbai Indians on April 8 with a toe injury. Stokes has so far missed four matches and will remain on the sidelines for a week.

“Ben Stokes has suffered an injury set back and will be out for a week,” Fleming said in the post-match press conference after CSK beat SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) by seven wickets on April 21. “Stokes, just a setback, I’m not gonna go into it, but it’s not major. It’s just he’s close. He’s working really hard to get right, can’t fault that at all. So, he just needs a little bit luck.”

Fleming also provided an update on captain MS Dhoni, who has been nursing a knee injury in the IPL 2023. The CSK coach said that Dhonis is “managing his injury well” and there is no concern with him.

“MS is completely fine. He is managing his injury well. He is available. He always keeps the team first. If he knows he can’t contribute because of injury, he would have sat out himself. There is no concern with him,” Fleming said.

Chennai Super Kings have a growing list of injury in the ongoing season, with the likes of Deepak Chahar and Sisanda Magala injured. CSK lost Chahar due to a hamstring injury, while Magala is healing from a split webbing. Pacer Simarjeet Singh, who missed almost entire last domestic season, is also recovering.