⁍ Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming says Mahendra Singh Dhoni is fit for the IPL.
⁍ Dhoni retired from international cricket last month.
⁍ The IPL kicks off on Saturday with a repeat of last year’s final.
– The 13th season of the Indian Premier League begins today, and the league’s most high-profile player is leading his team for the first time. Mahendra Singh Mahendra, who retired from international cricket last month, is in top shape and ready to lead the Chennai Super Kings, coach Stephen Fleming tells Reuters. The 39-year-old former skipper drew curtains on an illustrious, trophy-laden career for the national team, having not played for India since their semi-final exit at the 50-overs World Cup in July last year. Due to his long break, there were concerns over his readiness for the IPL, which will be played in the United Arab Emirates due to the worsening COVID-19 pandemic in India. “It has been no different,” former New Zealand captain Fleming said in an interview on the team’s website. “He’s very fit and mentally he’s been very engaged and determined. In some ways the break can work for the experienced and older players that we have. MS is fresh and ready to go.” The IPL kicks off with a repeat of last year’s final, which the Mumbai Indians won by one run against the outfit. Three-time winners CSK did not have an ideal pre-season when many people from their touring party tested positive for the novel coronavirus upon arriving in the UAE, but Fleming felt the squad had dealt with the challenge well. Adjusting to the conditions in the Emirates also means the 2020 edition of the popular Twenty20 tournament will be tactically “very different” and Fleming is banking on the wealth of experience in his side.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/cricket-ipl/fit-and-fresh-dhoni-ready-to-lead-chennai-in-ipl-idUSKBN2692CN