MS Dhoni’s Response on IPL Preparation Shocks Harbhajan Singh
As the Indian Premier League 2025 gets set to hit the screens from March 22, ten diverse teams will battle it out for an intense two-month period and compete to lift the coveted trophy. The largest sporting league in the world of cricket is back and all geared after the recently concluded ICC Champions Trophy.
With audiences waiting to watch their preferred cricketers weave some magic on ground, one player who has retired from all international formats holds indispensable significance even today.
IPL remains the only tournament currently where cricket enthusiasts still have the option of seeing Thala MS Dhoni in live action. The Chennai Super Kings legend arrives at the 2025 season after undergoing a rigorous training regime.
With IPL being the only professional cricketing event that Dhoni is involved in, maintaining optimum fitness, especially at the age of 43, becomes quite a daunting task. However, when former India legend Harbhajan Singh met Dhoni at a wedding recently, he was stunned to see how fit the CSK stalwart looked.
Harbhajan admitted that Dhoni’s fitness left him quite intrigued, which prompted him to ask questions about the veteran wicket-keeper batter’s preparations for the upcoming season.
“I just met him recently at one of our friend’s daughter’s weddings. He looked very fit, solid. I asked him, ‘What you are doing at this age, isn’t it tough?’ He said, ‘Yes, it’s difficult, but this is the only thing I like doing. I find joy in it. I want to do it, go out and play.’ As long as the hunger is there, you will be able to do it. It’s hard without playing any cricket (throughout the year). He is showing how it’s done. He must be doing something better than the others. He is not just surviving; he is dominating all the bowlers.” Harbhajan expressed in his interview with ESPNcricinfo.
Harbhajan shared insights into Dhoni’s practice sessions for the IPL, stating captain cool has been batting in the nets for 2-3 hours every single day in Chennai since joining the camp couple of days ago.
“The practice that he is doing for one-two months. The more balls you play, you get that timing, flow, and sixes going. He bats 2-3 hours every day in Chennai. He is the first one to come to the ground and the last one to leave, even at this age. That’s the difference,” he added.
While calls have been there for Dhoni to bat higher in the batting order, he has often sent himself out to bat at No. 7 or No. 8 spots.
Taking some insight, Dhoni has played 264 IPL games since his debut in 2008, the most by any player in the history so far. He has also led CSK to five titles, a record they jointly share with Mumbai Indians.
In 2010, Dhoni became the first Indian skipper to win the IPL title. His latest title as a captain and player with CSK happened in 2023. With 5234 runs with 24 half-centuries to his credit, Dhoni’s enigma remains unbeaten.
Now it remains to be seen if 2025 is his final season.
