"I must admit he’s like Benjamin Button! He keeps getting better" - Michael Hussey on MS Dhoni ahead of IPL 2024
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batting coach Michael Hussey shed light on MS Dhoni's fitness ahead of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The veteran wicketkeeper is on course to lead the side yet again at the age of 42, as fans expect a record sixth title under the franchise's name.
Dhoni played with a knee niggle for the majority of the previous season, and he underwent surgery for the same as well following the title win in Ahmedabad. He had stated back then that his participation in the 2024 edition hinges on how well he recovers and holds up. From the looks of it, he is in prime condition having recovered from surgery and began his preparations for the season quite a while ago in Ranchi.
Jokingly suggesting that Dhoni ages backward like Benjamin Button in the popular Hollywood movie starring Brad Pitt, Mike Hussey stated that the veteran is all good to go.
"He’s preparing really well. His knee seems good at this stage. And he’s batting extremely well at the moment. I must admit he’s like Benjamin Button! He keeps getting better," Hussey said at the inauguration of the Pavit Singh Nayar Memorial All India inter-college T20 cricket tournament for men and women at the Guru Nanak College in Chennai.
“He’s not as young as he used to be. So, the scampering between the wickets is going to be more difficult for him. But at the back end of the innings, where there’s not as much sprinting, he can still hit the ball very cleanly. And he’s hitting the ball extremely well at the moment. It’s great to see," Hussey added.
MS Dhoni's batting responsibilities have largely dwindled as the seasons have progressed. He largely comes down the order to deal with the final set of overs, but the franchise still needs his astute captaincy and sharp wicketkeeping skills as they prepare themselves for the impending transition.
"We feel like we’ve got enough depth in the squad to be able to cover it at this stage" - Mike Hussey on injury concerns
Chennai are dealing with multiple injury concerns ahead of the 2024 edition, with Devon Conway, Mustafizur Rahman, and Matheesha Pathirana all struggling to be fit in time for the season.
Conway sustained a fracture in his finger and will miss the first half of the season. Pathirana recently suffered a hamstring injury, while Mustafizur was stretchered off in the ongoing third ODI against Sri Lanka in Chattogram.
Despite the crisis, Hussey has waved off any need for concern, with the stern belief that the squad has enough quality to replace the injured candidates.
“Well, of course, they’re world-class players. So, it’s going to be difficult to replace them. But we feel like we’ve got enough depth in the squad to be able to cover it at this stage. But, of course, we’re going to miss them. One, for their skills, but also their character around the team as well. So, yes, I mean every team has its injury challenges. You just have to deal with it as best you can. I think we’ve put together a really good squad with a lot of depth. So, I feel like we can cover it well," Hussey said.
CSK will start their title defence with a home clash against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Friday, March 22.