Chennai Super Kings Kick Off IPL 2026 Preparations with Dhoni's Return

Chennai Super Kings Begin IPL 2026 Training

The Chennai Super Kings have officially launched their preparations for IPL 2026 in Chennai, with Mahendra Singh Dhoni joining Ruturaj Gaikwad and the rest of the squad for their inaugural practice session at the franchise's high-performance center. The five-time champions welcomed several Indian players to the camp, while international recruits and foreign staff are yet to arrive.

Assistant coaches Sridharan Sriram and Rajiv Kumar, along with strength and conditioning coach Greg King, oversaw the training drills. However, the attention quickly turned to Dhoni, whose presence infused the camp with energy and joy.

Dhoni's Playful Moment During Practice

During the nets, Dhoni faced a left-arm spinner and transformed a wide delivery into a moment of fun. Instead of letting it go, he humorously signaled for a wide with a playful dance-like gesture, eliciting laughter from teammates and staff. The 44-year-old reminded everyone that even in pre-season nets, his signature mischief shines through.

Among the players present were Ayush Mhatre, Mukesh Choudhary, Rahul Chahar, Urvil Patel, Ramakrishna Ghosh, and Sarfaraz Khan. The franchise later shared images of Dhoni and Gaikwad batting in adjacent nets, a moment fans celebrated online as a symbolic passing of the baton. While Dhoni entertained, Gaikwad displayed fluency and composure, demonstrating excellent timing. Sarfaraz was seen closely observing Dhoni's session, likely learning from the experienced finisher.

New signings Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma also participated in the drills as the preparations intensified. This phase of the camp primarily focuses on domestic players, with international players expected to join later.

Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube, who are currently involved in India's T20 World Cup campaign, will join the squad after the tournament concludes on March 7. Shreyas Gopal, who recently participated in Karnataka's Ranji Trophy final, is also anticipated to report later.