Suresh Raina shares picture with MS Dhoni and CSK teammates after boarding flight for Chennai

Ahead of the much-awaited IPL 2020 in the UAE, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are set to flag off their preparations by hosting a six-day training camp from August 15th to 20th. After COVID-19 hiatus, the training camp will play a vital role in helping players to get back in shape. Amid the pandemic, cricketers in the country have been away from the sport since March.

CSK vice-captain Suresh Raina, an integral part of the team’s setup, shared a photo on Friday with his teammates. The picture also featured CSK skipper MS Dhoni, who is set to return to the field after being away from the game since India’s 2019 World Cup oust. Along with Raina and Dhoni, other CSK stars like Piyush Chawla, Karn Sharma and Deepak Chahar were also a part of the photo.

CSK had organised a special chartered plane to ferry its players to the city. The Chennai franchise is the only team to host a training camp in India before flying to the UAE to commence their IPL 2020 campaign. Raina shared many photos and clips during the team’s flight journey and it was the picture featuring ‘Mahi’ that caught the most attention.

CSK share MS Dhoni’s picture upon his arrival

After testing negative twice in his COVID-tests, Dhoni was cleared to attend the training camp and lead CSK in the thirteenth edition of the IPL. Amid his truancy, the Ranchi stalwart has been spending time with his family ever since the lockdown was enforced in the country.

All eyes will be on Dhoni’s performance in this year’s IPL. According to many, the veteran’s show in IPL 2020 will play a crucial role in his international return. Official CSK Twitter also shared Dhoni’s picture upon his arrival at the airport.

The likes of Dhoni, Raina, Chawla and Chahar will be attending the camp at MA Chidambaram before boarding the flight to the UAE. Raina, amid the pandemic, has been pretty active on social media. Eager to bounce back into the national side, he has lately been sharing many training videos as well as photos.

All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is the only high-profile name who will miss CSK’s training camp. He, however, will join the Chennai squad before they board their flight to Dubai on August 21st. The IPL 2020 will kick off on September 19 while the final will be played on November 10. The BCCI is yet to release the fixtures of the league but CSK are most likely to open the campaign against defending champions Mumbai Indians.