MS Dhoni might be a part of CSK until 2022: Kasi Viswanathan, CSK CEO
CSK Chief Executive Kasi Viswanathan has stated that the franchise expects their talismanic skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni to be a part of the Chennai Super Kings squad for at the very least 2 or 3 more years.
In an interview to indiatoday.in, Viswanathan said, “We can expect MS Dhoni to be part of both (IPL 2020 and 2021) and probably for even the next year – 2022.”
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Earlier this year, Narayanaswami Srinivasan, vice-chairman and managing director of India Cements, owners of the CSK franchise, said Dhoni would be retained by the team going into the mega auction for the 2021 IPL.
MS Dhoni was seen training with CSK earlier this year
There has been a lot of speculation over Dhoni’s future since the 2019 World Cup, and he was even cut from BCCI’s central contracts list in January. However, two months later, the CSK skipper, fondly known as ‘Thala’ among the local fans of the franchise, resumed proper training at Chepauk before the Covid-19 pandemic forced the postponement of the IPL to September-November in the UAE.
“I am getting updates through the media only, saying he has been training in Jharkhand in indoor nets. But we don’t have to worry about the skipper, we don’t worry about him at all. He knows his responsibilities and he will take care of himself and the team,” said Viswanathan.
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Reportedly, Dhoni had a few training sessions at the indoor academy in his hometown Ranchi last week, which Viswanathan talked about, and is set to be part of a group of about 15 Indian players in the short camp from August 16 to 20, planned by the Super Kings at Chepauk, which is awaiting a written permission from the Tamil Nadu government.
Viswanthan had said that players would undergo testing before they come to Chennai and then two further tests on August 17 and 18. In case there is no camp, the players will leave for the UAE on August 21 from Chennai.