Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the captain of the Chennai Super Kings, arrived in Chennai on Tuesday to begin training with the reigning champions in preparation for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. ''#THA7A Dharisanam!'' was the caption attached to a photo that the reigning champions shared on social media of Dhoni, who helped them win their fifth championship the previous season. There is a lot of conjecture that Dhoni's playing career may be coming to an end this season.
The previous season, Dhoni led CSK to a record-breaking fifth title with an exciting five-wicket win over the Gujarat Titans in the final. In the last match, 'Captain Cool' was out for a golden duck, but Ravindra Jadeja's 10 off the final two balls saw his team through. Dhoni joyfully yanked Jadeja over his shoulder after the momentous triumph. It was a stunning moment that went viral on social media.
Throughout the 2023 season, the 42-year-old notably battled a knee ailment and was met with deafening cheers each time he took the pitch. He contrasted his greatest-ever strike rate in an IPL season of 182.46, smashing three fours and ten sixers, to his career best of 104 runs from 12 innings the previous season. There were many rumours that Dhoni's time with CSK will end in the Indian Premier League in 2023, particularly after the 42-year-old captain inspired his team to an incredible fifth title. In contrast, Dhoni announced to his sizable fan base that he would undoubtedly play in the 2024 Indian Premier League in an effort to show his appreciation for their unwavering support.
The 42-year-old usually batted towards the end of the CSK innings last year. The first group of CSK players arrived the day before, and the team started their preseason training camp on Saturday. The following players have already arrived: Nishant Sindhu (all-rounder), Ajay Mandal, Mukesh Choudhary, Prashant Solanki, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Simarjeet Singh, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, and Deepak Chahar. On March 22, CSK will play their first IPL 2024 matchup against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
