MS Dhoni in discomfort after explosive knock, spotted limping with ice pack on during priceless gesture for groundstaff
MS Dhoni was a busy man on late Sunday night at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, in Visakhapatnam, during the IPL 2024 match against Delhi Capitals. After an explosive knock of 37* from 16 balls, albeit in a losing cause for Chennai Super Kings, Dhoni held a master class for DC youngsters, who gathered around the India legend to pick his brain.
Dhoni also met some of his former India teammates Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant and Khaleel Ahmed before making a priceless gesture for the Vizag groundstaff. But amid the visuals, Dhoni sparked concern as he was visibly limping while wearing an ice pack on his leg.
When Dhoni stepped out to bat at No. 8 for CSK on Sunday in the chase of 192, the game was well outside their reach. However, keeping the net run rate factor in mind, and obliging the Chennai fans, who had arrived in numbers in Vizag, the adopted home ground for DC this season, Dhoni smashed four boundaries and three sixes in his unbeaten knock, which comprised a 20-run final over. Scoring at a strike rate of over 231 in that explosive cameo, Dhoni showcased some insane power-hitting, including a sensational one-handed sixer.
Following the match, Dhoni was approached by a few Vizag groundstaff before he gathered the rest as well and posed for a photograph with them. The touching gesture went viral on social media, but a video of the moment showed the 42-year-old in absolute discomfort as he limped towards the groundsmen, wearing an ice pack on his left calf muscle.
While it may raise significant concern, given that it is just the start of the tournament, but Dhoni will get a rest period of four days before CSK play their next game in IPL 2024 on April 5 against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
CSK, who suffered their first defeat in IPL 2024 on Sunday after back-to-back wins at home, are currently placed second in the table after Kolkata Knight Riders, who won both their first two matches so far.