MS Dhoni was back batting in the nets at the Wankhede Stadium ahead of Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) clash against the Mumbai Indians (MI) and that is the biggest update CSK have had in weeks. After missing six matches due to a calf injury, Dhoni was seen spending close to an hour training, facing pace and moving without obvious discomfort, which immediately raises the question again. Is he finally ready to return?
The short answer is not yet, but for the first time this season, there is at least something concrete to go on. He had travelled to Hyderabad for the last CSK match but didn’t train this intensely. Him doing batting and wicket-keeping drills mean he is ready to go.
Dhoni bats freely, but match call still unclear
According to reports from the Wankhede, MS Dhoni batted for around 30 minutes, taking on the likes of Matt Henry and Jamie Overton. More importantly, he did not look restricted in his movement, which had been the primary concern since the injury during pre-season. He also kept wickets for a brief period, roughly half an hour. This is as good of a news as anything for CSK.
However, there is still a gap between looking comfortable in the nets and being ready for a game. Dhoni has already missed six matches this season, and CSK need to phase him into the side slowly.
Why CSK are unlikely to rush MS Dhoni back
The management has been careful with Dhoni from the start, and there’s a reason for that. At 44, recovery timelines are different, and a calf injury is not something you take lightly, especially for a player who operates in short bursts late in the innings.
Last season, Dhoni faced just over 11.5 balls per innings. He was expected to play a similar role this year as well, with Dhoni eyeing to bat just in the death overs. That role means quick running between the wickets. Right now, CSK are not fully convinced he can do all of that at match intensity.
Batting coach Michael Hussey admitted recently that there is still no fixed timeline for his return, which tells you where things stand internally. Even now, the goal seems to be on getting him fully fit rather than pushing for an early comeback. CSK’s season hasn’t gone to plan so far. Two wins in six matches has left them in the bottom half of the table, and injuries have only made things worse. Khaleel Ahmed is already out, Nathan Ellis had to be replaced, and now Spencer Johnson has been brought in to plug that gap.
