CSK’s pre-season camp began with Dhoni joining Ruturaj Gaikwad and teammates in Chennai. His playful antics in the nets brought laughter, while Gaikwad impressed with sharp batting.
Preparations for IPL 2026 officially got underway in Chennai as Mahendra Singh Dhoni joined Ruturaj Gaikwad and the Chennai Super Kings squad for their first practice session at the franchise’s high-performance centre. The five-time champions began their camp with several Indian players reporting, while overseas recruits and foreign staff are yet to arrive.
Assistant coaches Sridharan Sriram and Rajiv Kumar, along with strength and conditioning coach Greg King, supervised the drills. Yet, the spotlight quickly shifted to Dhoni, whose presence brought energy and smiles across the camp.
Dhoni’s Lighthearted Moment in Nets
Facing a left-arm spinner, Dhoni turned a wide delivery into entertainment. Instead of ignoring it, he theatrically signaled for a wide with a dance-like gesture, sparking laughter among teammates and staff. The 44-year-old reminded everyone that even pre-season nets can carry his trademark mischief.
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Among those present were Ayush Mhatre, Mukesh Choudhary, Rahul Chahar, Urvil Patel, Ramakrishna Ghosh, and Sarfaraz Khan. The franchise later shared visuals of Dhoni and Gaikwad batting in adjacent nets — a symbolic image that fans celebrated online as a passing of the baton. While Dhoni entertained, Gaikwad looked fluent and composed, showcasing clean timing. Sarfaraz was spotted closely observing Dhoni’s session, perhaps learning from the veteran finisher.
New signings Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma also joined the squad, taking part in drills as preparations gathered pace. This phase of the camp is largely focused on domestic players, with internationals set to join later.
Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube, currently part of India’s T20 World Cup campaign, will link up after the tournament concludes on March 7. Shreyas Gopal, fresh from Karnataka’s Ranji Trophy final run, is also expected to report later.
