Chennai, May 1: 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 sustained the injury before the season began and has been sidelined for three weeks. During his recovery, he has focused significantly on improving his running speed between the wickets.
In a press conference on Saturday at MA Chidambaram Stadium, ahead of the match against Mumbai Indians, Hussey stated, “We hope he will return as soon as possible. I’m not sure if it will be tomorrow or perhaps in the next match, but his recovery is going very well. I know he is working on his running speed, which was a challenging aspect. In terms of skills, we are quite confident about his batting and wicketkeeping, but we need to ensure he can maintain good running ability, especially towards the end of the innings when he needs to sprint for quick singles and twos. As soon as he feels fully confident 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 IPL matches will be up to him. The batting coach added, “Once he has complete confidence in his calf, I’m sure he will signal that he is ready to play. For now, we are following his lead. 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 chose 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 regulations.
Hussey remarked, “MS Dhoni is truly a team-oriented player. He always wants what’s best for the team, and he was concerned that if he attended, it might distract a bit too much. Obviously, the cameras would focus on him, and the crowd would cheer for him, among other things. He genuinely wanted the team to just focus on their game. Whether that’s right or wrong, it’s not for me to decide, but that was his reasoning for not being present at matches. Clearly, he is watching everything closely from home.”
He added, “Personally, I really enjoy having him in the dressing room. He provides a lot of insight and confidence to the other players. Therefore, he is always present during training and remains a lively person, sharing his vast experience with the players. However, he simply 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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