Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are getting for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 ‘Southern Derby’ against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), featuring former India captain Virat Kohli, at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Monday. Ahead of the big clash, four-time IPL champions CSK got some good news that skipper MS Dhoni will be available to play in the match in spite of an injury to his knee.
Dhoni was seen limping after the loss to Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their last match at the Chepauk on Wednesday. But CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan assured that Dhoni will be available for the team’s next match.
“He will play,” CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz website. “It is true that he has an injury to his knee but he has not told us otherwise.”
MS Dhoni has an Average of 58 & Strike Rate of 214.81 in IPL 2023.
He still got it at the age of 41. pic.twitter.com/SAJTzOA9nQ
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) April 13, 2023
Dhoni’s injury was revealed by CSK head coach Stephen Fleming after their game against RR on Wednesday. “He is nursing a knee injury, which you can see in some of his movements. It’s hindering him somewhat. His fitness has always been very professional. He comes a month before the tournament starts. He’s a great player. We have never doubted him. He’s just amazing,” Fleming said.
Ben Stokes to miss three more matches
However, there are some major injury concerns in the CSK team. According to Cricbuzz report, England all-rounder Ben Stokes will miss at least the next three matches of IPL 2023 before he can take the field. Viswanathan was quoted as saying that Stokes will require at least one more week to get fully fit after injuring his toe while bowling in the nets.
“Ben is doing well, he is recovering fast, and should definitely be fit for the April 30 game,” Viswanathan said. “He could even be ready earlier, maybe by the April 27 game,” he added.
The April 27 contest is a return match against Rajasthan Royals, against whom the Chennai team lost narrowly at Chepauk on Wednesday night.
Stokes was bought for Rs 16.25 crore at the IPL 2023 auction last year and has played two games and missed as many so far. He managed scores of 7 and 8 in the two games and bowled only one over so far.
Apart from Stokes, pacer Deepak Chahar, has been ruled out for a longer time – at least till the end of April with a hamstring injury. “He will take longer than Ben to be back in action. Hopefully, he will be ready by the first week of May,” Viswanathan said.
CSK will also miss the services of South African pacer Sisanda Magala, who could not complete his quota of overs against Rajasthan Royals and the management says he will take at least a week to be ready for match play, as confirmed by coach Stephen Fleming as well on Wednesday.
