Skipper MS Dhoni reaches Surat to kickstart CSK's preparations leading into IPL 2022

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has arrived in Surat in Gujarat for a training camp to kickstart the four-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions’ build-up towards the 2022 season starting later this month. The ace wicket-keeper-batter reached Surat on Wednesday, March 2, along with CSK’s assistant coach Lakshmipathy Balaji and other members of the franchise’s Indian support staff. The foreign support staff led by head coach Stephen Fleming is expected to join the proceedings on March 12.

According to CSK chief executive officer Kasi Viswanathan, the team’s preparation camp is set to kick off by March 8. Since Gujarat is neighbour to the Maharashtra where the 15th edition of the IPL will be held, Viswanathan said the choice of Surat as the base for the CSK’s preparations is to get acclimatized to the clay-based wickets and other conditions that are expected in the main event.

“With the Chennai pitch clay-based, we decided to practise on wickets that will be similar to those in Mumbai and Pune. Also, the travel will be easy,” Viswanathan told ESPNcricinfo.

CSK hit by Deepak Chahar’s injury ahead of the IPL 2022

While the defending champions are trying to be on track leading into the mega tournament, they would be a little nervous with their pre-season plans getting rattled by an uninvited injury to their fast bowler Deepak Chahar. The speedster had previously played for the franchisee and was re-bought at the mega auction this year by the Super Kings for a whopping Rs 14 crore.

The Indian bowler recently injured his right quadriceps in India’s recent T20 international series against the West Indies and is in all likelihood going to miss out for at least the first few weeks of the IPL if not more. The bowler from Rajasthan is seen as a vital cog in the CSK’s wheel. Dhoni, who set up his pace attack around Chahar last season, would have to now sit with the franchise think-tank to decide upon a potential replacement for the 29-year-old cricketer.