Chennai, May 2: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batting coach Michael Hussey has announced that former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is recovering from his calf injury and is expected to return to the field soon. The 44-year-old Dhoni has been sidelined for three weeks due to the injury sustained before the season began. During his recovery, significant work has been done to improve his running speed between the wickets.
In a press conference before the match against Mumbai Indians at MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday, Hussey stated, “Hopefully, he will return as soon as possible. I don’t know if it will be tomorrow or perhaps in the next match, but his recovery is going very well. I know he is improving his running speed, which was a challenging aspect. I believe we are quite confident regarding his batting and wicketkeeping skills, but it was essential to ensure he maintains good running capability, especially towards the end of the innings when he needs to sprint for quick singles and doubles. So, as soon as he has full confidence in his calf, I’m sure he will give the green light to play.”
Hussey mentioned that the final decision regarding Dhoni’s participation in the IPL matches will be his own. The batting coach added, “As soon as he (Dhoni) has full confidence in his calf, I’m sure he will signal that he is ready to play. For now, we are following his instructions. We are waiting. I think all of Chennai is waiting.”
Dhoni has not been seen in the CSK dugout on match days. Hussey explained that the wicketkeeper-batsman decided to stay away from matches to avoid distractions. Some IPL teams keep their players in hotels, as only 18-20 players are allowed in the dressing room according to the rules.
Hussey said, “MS Dhoni is truly a team-oriented player. He always wants what is best for the team, and he was concerned that if he came, it might distract a bit too much. Obviously, the cameras would focus mostly on him. The crowd would cheer for him and other similar things would happen. He genuinely wanted the team to just do their job and play their game. Whether that is right or wrong, it’s not for me to decide, but that was the thought behind Dhoni not being present at the matches. Clearly, he is watching everything very closely from home.”
He added, “Personally, I really enjoy having him in the dressing room. He provides a lot of understanding and confidence to the other players. So, he is obviously present during training and always remains a lively person, sharing a lot of his experience with the players. But the point was that he didn’t want to be a distraction for the rest of the team, which is why he decided to stay away on match days.”
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