MS Dhoni goes in early to the pre-season camp and young Indian players spend time with him: Stephen Fleming

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming spoke about MS Dhoni's contribution during the pre-season camp ahead of the forthcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.

Dhoni led Chennai to a record-equaling fifth IPL title last season as they defeated Gujarat Titans in a pulsating final in Ahmedabad. It is expected that the upcoming IPL season could be the last time the cricket fraternity gets to see the wicketkeeper-batter in action. 

Fleming, who has been the head coach of the franchise since 2009, said that the 42-year-old comes to the pre-season camp early and the young Indian players in the team spend time with him.

"Given the age of some of the players and amount of cricket they're playing, our pre-season has extended over the last few years. So MS takes a very strong role there and he needs some volume, so he goes in early and the players just gravitate towards that," said Fleming as quoted by the CSK website.

The former New Zealand captain went on to explain the beneficial aspects of the interactions between Dhoni and the youngsters in the Super Kings' setup.

"It enables young Indian players to reconnect, and then international players who've had commitments, they tend to come in a bit later. The big benefits that our local Indian players get is, one, time, to spend with MS Dhoni, and two, a chance to get back into the system," the 50-year-old added.

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CSK face RCB in IPL 2024 curtain raiser

Two former India captains, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli will be in action on Friday, March 22 as Chennai Super Kings take on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the season opener at the MA Chidambaram Stadium at Chepauk.

While Chennai won the title in IPL 2023, Bangalore failed to make it to the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. Both teams have made some stellar additions to their squads and would aim to go the distance. They are also two of the most popular teams in the competition and fans are waiting with bated breath to see them locking horns on Friday.

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