Chennai skipper MS Dhoni turns bowler in practice session at Chepauk ahead of Indian T20 League 2023

The CSK skipper MS Dhoni was seen hitting the nets in preparation for the next 2023 Indian T20 League season. His propensity for hitting long balls is what first established the former Indian captain as a household figure. However, this time he made headlines for a lesser known trait of his – bowling. The veteran wicketkeeper batsman can be seen bowling in the nets at the Chepauk in Chennai as the video goes viral online.

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Here’s the video:

MS Dhoni Bowling during Practice In Chepauk #MSDhoni #MSDhoni𓃵 #msd #ChennaiSuperKings #CSK @msdhoni @ChennaiIPL pic.twitter.com/5mxyYZ47UB

— Tejas Msdian (@TejasMsdian) March 4, 2023

The schedule for the Indian T20 League 2023 has been made public, with the opening game on March 31 between the Gujarat franchise and the Chennai franchise. With a home-and-away format, the Indian T20 League this year will see MS Dhoni's first trip back to Chennai in three years.

'It will be an amazing moment' - Matthew Hayden on MS Dhoni's return to Chennai

The former India captain has a sizable following in Chennai. Matthew Hayden, a former Australia opener, talked about how Chennai team’s captain MS Dhoni will be received when he returns to the pitch at Chepauk after nearly three years.

"It will be an amazing moment. I think last year, we were all under the impression that will MSD come back again. At the close of the IPL season, he made that huge comment to say that he will be back. Now, what that means for all that Yellow Army is that Chennai suddenly galvanized a tad around the superior leader, who has done it for so long. This will, most certainly, I think, be the close of his Indian T20 League career. So, those few games at the start are not only going to be key for the fans, his performance is also going to be key for CSK this season," Hayden said.

The four-time champions will try to put on a great performance this year and hope to once again emulate the heroics of 2021. Chennai placed second-to-last in the IPL's 2020 edition as well, but they made a stunning comeback the following year and won the championship. The Chennai-based team has started its training camp at Chennai's Chepauk Stadium in anticipation of the forthcoming Indian T20 League season.