IPL 2020: MS Dhoni looks sharp as he faces Ravindra Jadeja and Piyush Chawla at nets

The quarantine days are gone for Chennai Super Kings, the last team to start their practice sessions for IPL 2020 in UAE because of as many as 13 coronavirus cases in their camp. The team sweated in their first net session in the Gulf country on Friday, on Saturday the 3-times champions entered the practice arena again and they looked charged up.

In an Instagram video posted by the Chennai-based franchise, captain MS Dhoni can be seen facing his experienced spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Piyush Chawla, was has joined CSK from two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

Thala MS Dhoni can be seen defending the starting few balls and then smacking them on both sides of the wicket later. Piyush Chawla, who bowled good flighted deliveries, also got successful in dismantling MS Dhoni’s stumps on one of his deliveries.

The video also had glimpses of Murali Vijay batting in one of the nets. The Chennai-born, turns back the clock and smashes one over long-off in his typical lofted fashion to make fans go wild in the comments section of the post.

The hot and humid conditions in UAE are expected to help the spinners and these preparations by MS Dhoni can come really handy for CSK in the absence of their batting mainstay Suresh Raina, who pulled out of IPL 2020 due to “personal reasons”. Notably, team’s veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh also opted against travelling to UAE and playing amidst coronavirus.

With two of their senior players gone, CSK will look to do their best in this practice sessions. While, speculations are rife over Ruturaj Gaikwad taking Suresh Raina’s number 3 slot, some experts have signalled that MS Dhoni himself can and should take the position.

Recently, reacting to a fan’s comment asking who will be vice-captain of CSK in absence of Suresh Raina, team’s Twitter handle commented, “Why fear when we have a ‘wise captain’?

The IPL 2020 schedules are set be announced on Sunday, IPL Governing Council chairman Brijesh Patel confirmed on Saturday. There are doubts over CSK playing the opener against defending champions Mumbai Indians. CSK players had the longest quarantine period after arriving in UAE because of the coronavirus cases in the camp and that might force them to opt out of the opener.

However on Thursday, BCCI sources told India Today that the board is confident of starting the much-anticipated season with the marquee clash between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. CSK and MI were scheduled to play the opener before the T20 tournament was postponed due to the pandemic.