IPL 2020: MS Dhoni to start training in Chennai from March 1

It’s been months since the world last saw MS Dhoni take stance on the 22 yards or keep wickets. His last appearance for India was in the semi-final of the 2019 World Cup in England against New Zealand. While the veteran hasn’t called it quits since then, he also skipped and missed each one of India’s series. Recently, he also found himself out of the BCCI‘s contract list which made many believe that this could be the end of India’s second World Cup-winning captain in ODIs.

Hopes, nevertheless, have remained afloat over Dhoni’s comeback into the national side for the T20 World Cup in Australia in October. The man, who led India to their only world crown in T20s in 2007, was seen batting at the nets in Ranchi recently and now, the champion cricketer is set to make a return to cricket — in the Indian Premier League (IPL) starting March 29. Dhoni will be leading Chennai Super Kings (CSK) who he has led to the title thrice, the last being in 2018. He has guided the CSK to the final eight times.

Dhoni is set to touch the soil of Chennai on March 1 when he will start training at the Chepauk Stadium. “He is expected to arrive on March 1. He will probably train for a couple of weeks before going back for 4-5 days and then coming back once again closer to the start of the IPL,” Times of India quoted sources close to the development as saying.

Joining the franchise almost a month ahead of the start of the tournament will mean this is the first time that MS Dhoni will enter the participation mode for the IPL so early. One reason for the former India captain joining the IPL training is that he is not into the national duty at the moment. This also gives him the advantage of getting more time to prepare for the T20 carnival which could still open the doors for him for a national comeback.

MS Dhoni is away from competitive cricket for over six months now and started training with his state team (Jharkhand) only recently. While the 38-year-old’s keeping skills are still anybody’s envy, his batting prowess has slowed down considerably considering the fact that he has been one of the game’s best finishers.

Even during the World Cup, Dhoni’s batting pace in some of the games had irked the experts and supporters and there was a call to replace him at the earliest even though Rishabh Pant, who was being considered as his natural heir, could not meet the expectations.

Raina, Rayudu to accompany MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni will be accompanied by other India players like Suresh Raina and Ambati Rayudu in Chennai in the first week of March. “Raina and Rayudu had been training here for the last three weeks. They are going back and then joining again on March 2. Players who are available at that time will also join. The official camp starts from March 10,” sources further said.

The Super Kings’ popularity can be fathomed by the fact that even their practice sessions at Chepauk are attended by over thousands of supporters as it has been seen over the past few years. With Dhoni certainly approaching the end of his glorious career, one would not be surprised if that attendance goes even higher this time.