Chennai Super Kings skipper M.S. Dhoni is set to resume training in the next few weeks as part of his preparation for the 2024 IPL, according to the franchise’s CEO, K.S. Viswanathan.
The former India skipper underwent surgery on his left knee after leading the Super Kings to a fifth IPL title earlier this year. The 42-year-old was often seen sporting knee strapping during the 2023 edition and struggled a bit, especially while running between the wickets.
Giving an update about Dhoni’s fitness, Viswanathan said, “He is doing well now. He has started his rehab and is working in the gym. And, probably in another 10 days, he will also start working in the nets.”
“With the season set to start around March 22, we are planning for a camp in Chennai by the first week of March,” the CEO added at the sidelines of the launch of the Junior Super Kings inter-school tournament on Saturday.
Earlier this week, the player auction for the 2024 season was held in Dubai, and the Super Kings added six players to their roster as they prepare to defend their title.
When asked whether the team got its preferred picks at the auction, Viswanathan said, “We pretty much got all our targets. We were planning for Daryl Mitchell. We thought Mustafizur Rahman would be a good bet at our Chepauk wicket, with the big side boundaries.
“These were our thoughts, but we were not sure whether we would be able to get them. Luckily, it was a good auction for us this time.”
On the decision to spend ₹8.4 crore for uncapped batter Sameer Rizvi, Viswanathan said, “Sameer Rizvi was a targeted player for many of the franchises. We were probably a bit lucky in getting him. If you look at it, we were trying to get a replacement for Ambati Rayudu. We didn’t have enough players with that kind of experience to bid for any of them. So, we thought it was better to go in for a youngster who has the promise.”
For the future
“I am not saying this just because we have picked him, he will be the next best. But the opportunity is there for that. Last year, we got Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sindhu and Rajvardhan Hangargekar. So, we are also trying to build the team for the future, which will help us in the longer run,” he explained.
