MS Dhoni has suffered a knee injury before of the Chennai Super Kings IPL 2023 opener against the reigning champions Gujarat Titans on Friday.
Chennai Super Kings meet Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2023 opening on Friday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, with a point to prove. Last season, CSK finished ninth in the ten-team standings, with eight points from 14 games, with four victories and ten defeats. The MS Dhoni-led team will be looking to put up a solid performance and fight for the trophy this time. But, there is much concern about CSK skipper Dhoni’s availability ahead of the tournament start.
Dhoni is experiencing pain in his left knee. He was hurt during a training session in Ahmedabad.
Previously, Dhoni was allegedly afraid to bat during Monday’s intra-squad practice session and was sat with a kneecap. As he came to bat, he was hobbling and unable to run. There were times when he would pause in the middle of a run and then stagger to the crease. Nevertheless, he did not play wicketkeeper during the match.
When asked, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan told PTI, “As far as I’m concerned, the captain is fully engaged. I’m not aware of any further developments.”
If Dhoni is unable to play on Friday, the franchise may turn to Devon Conway, and if he does not start, Ruturaj Gaikwad or Ambati Rayudu are anticipated to fill the job.
CSK is in a quandary on the leadership for the encounter. Ben Stokes, often touted as Dhoni’s replacement, is also out with an injury. As a result, Ravindra Jadeja or Gaikwad might lead the team. Jadeja has already served as captain, however, it was not a nice experience. He took over as CSK captain ahead of the IPL 2022, but stepped down in the midst of the season owing to poor performances, handing the captaincy back to Dhoni. Due to an injury, the all-rounder was later ruled out.
