[Watch] MS Dhoni interacts with friends after training at JSCA Stadium
Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni recently returned to training at the JSCA International Sports Complex in Ranchi.
With six months to go before the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain has started preparing for the same. The veteran wicketkeeper-batter, who announced his international retirement in 2020, was seen slogging in the nets to get into the groove.
In a recent video that surfaced on social media, Dhoni was seen having a gala time with his friends at the JSCA Stadium after one of his training sessions.
Watch the clip here:
Dhoni was last seen in action in IPL 2022, plying his trade for the Super Kings. He stepped down as CSK's captain ahead of the season. However, he had to take over the captaincy duties once again after Ravindra Jadeja stepped down from the post midway through the campaign.
The right-handed batter scored 232 runs, including a half-century, in 14 matches at an average of 33.14, remaining unbeaten on six occasions.
Dhoni has so far guided CSK to four IPL titles, the last of which came in 2021.
"I used to watch Sachin Tendulkar play and wanted to bat like him" - MS Dhoni on his cricketing idol
Dhoni was arguably the greatest finisher to grace the Indian team as he single-handedly helped the Men in Blue win several matches. While he mesmerized an entire generation with his batting, the former Indian skipper confessed that he wanted to bat like his idol Sachin Tendulkar, but couldn't.
In a video shared by CSK on their social media handles, the Ranchi-born cricketer said:
My cricketing role model has always been Sachin Tendulkar. I was exactly like you guys, I used to watch Sachin Tendulkar play and wanted to bat like him.
"Later on, I realised I canβt play like him but inside my heart, I always wanted to play like him. He was my cricketing idol growing up."
Dhoni has scored over 15000 international runs across formats, including 16 centuries and 106 fifties. Under his leadership, India won the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2011 50-over World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy.