"He never complained even once" - CSK CEO on MS Dhoni playing IPL 2023 with injured knee
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni did not allow a knee injury to derail his Indian Premier League (IPL 2023) campaign, deciding to play all of the matches despite the discomfort.
Shedding light on the same, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan recently revealed that Dhoni didn't complain about his knee even once throughout the season. He stated that everyone in the team knew about the injury, as his running made it quite evident.
Viswanathan mentioned that it was after the IPL 2023 final that MS Dhoni informed him that he was ready to undergo surgery. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo Tamil, Kasi Viswanathan said:
"Till the final, he never complained about his knee to anybody. Though everyone knew, and you would've seen him struggling while running, he never complained even once. After the final, he said, 'okay, I'll have a surgery.' He's finished his surgery, he's quite happy, he's recovering."
Kasi Viswanathan suggested that the team management was aware that playing with a knee injury was very challenging. He mentioned that MS Dhoni deserved a lot of appreciation for his commitment towards the team, adding:
"We never asked him things like, 'Do you want to play or do you want to sit out.' If he can't, he would've told us straightaway. We knew it was a struggle for him to play, but his commitment to the team, his leadership, and how the team benefits everyone knows. From that perspective, you have to appreciate him."
Dhoni guided the Chennai-based side to their fifth IPL triumph after the side beat the Gujarat Titans (GT) in a last-ball thriller in the final. The 41-year-old once again dazzled viewers with his swift glovework, inflicting a stunning stumping to dismiss the in-form Shubman Gill in the summit clash.
"He's not going to play until January-February" - Kasi Viswanathan on MS Dhoni's injury
Following the completion of IPL 2023, MS Dhoni underwent successful knee surgery at the Kokilaben Hospital in Mumbai. Kasi Viswanathan mentioned that the veteran player seemed quite comfortable after the surgery.
Speaking about his meeting with the CSK skipper after the surgery, he said:
"Actually, he told us immediately after the final is over he'll fly to Mumbai, have surgery and go back to Ranchi for rehab. In Mumbai, after Ruturaj's wedding [on June 4], I visited him. It was a courtesy call. He's quite comfortable. He said he'll rest for three weeks and then start his rehab. And like he said, he's not going to play until January-February. We don't need to remind him about all that."
Speaking in the post-match presentation after the IPL 2023 final, Dhoni hinted that he could return to play for CSK next season. Talking about the player's future, Viswanathan revealed:
"He knows what to do, how to go about it, so we aren't going to ask him, 'What are you going to do, how' etc. He will inform us on his own. Whatever he's doing, he'll call first and inform only Mr N. Srinivasan, not anyone else. Factually, he'll be straightforward with him. From him, we'll get the information that this is what he's doing. It's been this way since 2008. That's how it will continue."
It is worth mentioning that MS Dhoni demoted himself to the No.8 spot in the CSK batting order in several matches of the latest edition. He did chip in with a few quick-fire cameos towards the back end of the innings for his side.