March 31 will be a memorable moment for many fans out there as the day not only marks the beginning of the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League but Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni will be back in action on the field. As the upcoming edition of IPL has brought back the concept of home and away matches, which was earlier stopped due to Covid-19, the crowd will see MS Dhoni back at CSK's fortress, Chepauk. The four-time IPL champions will be squaring off against defending champions Gujarat Titans in the season opener on Friday and preparations for the much-awaited clash have begun with Dhoni, sweating it out in the nets at Chepauk.
Recently, CSK posted a video, where the crowd welcomed the former India skipper to the practice ground, with wild cheers and chants of Dhoni's name. As the video went viral on social media, former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris retweeted it with a mindblowing caption.
"Still the big dog around town!!" Styris, who was also a part of CSK's squad in 2011, captioned the post.
Dhoni is the only full-time captain the Super Kings have had in their stint, barring Ravindra Jadeja who held the position for a brief period last seaosn. Having joined the franchise in IPL 2008, Dhoni has continued going strong wearing the yellow jersey. However, many believe that the IPL 2023 season could be his last as a player.
After failing to qualify for the play-offs last season, Dhoni, who took back the captaincy from an angry Ravindra Jadeja, would certainly like to go out on a high. If he plans to quit also, one can never be sure about 'Captain Marvel'.
In IPL, it will always be foolhardy to keep CSK out of contention and this edition will be no different. And with star England all-rounder Ben Stokes in their ranks, CSK will have an imposing look.
With PTI inputs