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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) CEO Kasi Viswanathan is confident in MS Dhoni's commitment to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season despite concerns about his fitness following knee surgery. Dhoni, retained as captain, led CSK to their fifth title in IPL 2023 while managing a knee niggle.
Viswanathan assures fans that Dhoni, known for keeping his promises, is fit and ready for the upcoming season.
After undergoing successful left knee surgery in June 2023, Dhoni returned to Ranchi for rest and rehabilitation. The arthroscopic procedure, performed by renowned sports orthopaedic surgeon Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, didn't deter Dhoni from guiding CSK to victory. The captain, who committed to playing in IPL 2024 as a gift to fans, maintained a stellar performance during the 2023 season.
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"If our leader has given a word, he has never gone back. He already told me what he was planning to do in that interview. I am sure that knowing MS, he will always do what he has committed to do. He is quite fit. Thalaivan is thalaivan (our leader is our leader)," Kasi Viswanathan said in a video shared by CSK.
While CSK released eight players, they retained their core team, including Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Viswanathan added that Ben Stokes was initially considered for retention, but the England all-rounder, facing knee injury concerns and upcoming surgery, made himself unavailable for the next season. Stokes bought for Rs 16.25 crore in the IPL 2023 auction and played only two matches for CSK.
Heading into the mini-auction on December 19 with a purse of Rs 31.4 crore, CSK is gearing up for strategic acquisitions to strengthen their squad for IPL 2024. Viswanathan's assurance of Dhoni's fitness and commitment adds to the anticipation surrounding CSK's campaign, with fans eagerly awaiting the return of their iconic leader.
Chennai Super Kings
Retained Players
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (C & WK), Ajinkya Rahane, Deepak Chahar, Maheesh Theekshana, Mukesh Choudhary, Mitchell Santner, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Simarjeet Singh, Matheesha Pathirana, Tushar Deshpande, Prashant Solanki, Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sindhu, Ajay Mandal.
Released players
Ben Stokes, Dwaine Pretorius, Bhagath Varma, Subhranshu Senapati, Ambati Rayudu (Retired), Akash Singh, Kyle Jamieson and Sisanda Magala.
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