Attention, sports fans! The Chennai Super Kings head coach, Stephen Fleming, is crossing his fingers that MS Dhoni will still lead the team despite suffering from a knee injury. According to Fleming, Dhoni’s on-field movement has been “hindered” by the injury, which was revealed after the team’s close three-run loss to the Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday.
Adding to the team’s injury worries, Sisanda Magala, CSK’s South African pace bowler, also suffered a split webbing on Wednesday night. However, Fleming expressed confidence that the former India captain will manage his injury well and will continue to lead the side.
“He (Dhoni) is nursing a knee injury, which you can see in some of his movement, hindering him somewhat,” Fleming said. “His fitness has been professional. He comes in months before the tournament starts. He does some nets in Ranchi, but his main pre-season is a month before he comes to Chennai.”
During the match against Rajasthan Royals, Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja were on course to chase 176, requiring 21 runs off the last over. However, they fell short by three runs, with CSK’s final score at 172/6. Despite this disappointment, Fleming expressed confidence in Dhoni’s ability to manage his injury and continue leading the team.
“He works his way back into match form, and you can still see he is playing pretty well. So we always have confidence about how he manages himself. He always keeps himself up to speed,” said Fleming.
Despite Dhoni’s injury, the team put up a good fight in their match against the Rajasthan Royals, with seamer Sandeep Sharma delivering a couple of perfect block-hole deliveries to earn a hard-fought victory for the Royals. Chasing a target of 176, Dhoni (32) and Ravindra Jadeja (25) were on course requiring 21 runs off the last over, but CSK’s final score was 172/6, and Dhoni couldn’t end his 200th game for CSK with a victory.
CSK’s list of injured players is growing, with England all-rounder Ben Stokes missing the game on Wednesday due to a heel injury, while pacer Deepak Chahar has been almost ruled out of IPL 2023 due to a hamstring injury he sustained during the match against Mumbai Indians.
CSK’s list of injured players continues to grow, with England all-rounder Ben Stokes missing the game on Wednesday due to a heel injury, and pacer Deepak Chahar almost ruled out of IPL 2023 due to a hamstring injury he sustained during the match against Mumbai Indians.
Despite these setbacks, CSK will play its next game against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Bengaluru on April 17. Fans will be eagerly waiting to see if Dhoni will lead the team in that match, or if he will take a break to focus on his recovery.
Looking ahead, Chennai will play its next game against the Royal Challengers Bangalore in Bengaluru on April 17. With a growing list of injuries, the team will need to rely on its depth and resilience to overcome these challenges and continue their journey in this year’s IPL.
Fleming expressed confidence in the team’s ability to overcome these challenges, saying, “We’ve got great depth in our squad, and we’ll make some changes. We’ve got a lot of confidence in our players, so we’ll be looking forward to the challenge.”
Despite the challenges, CSK has a strong history in the IPL, having won the championship three times and reaching the final eight times. With a seasoned captain like Dhoni at the helm and a talented squad of players, the team will undoubtedly be aiming to add another trophy to their collection this year.
So, while the injury concerns are real, the Chennai Super Kings remain a formidable force in this year’s IPL. As fans, we can’t wait to see what they have in store for us in the coming games. Let’s go, CSK!
