/sky247-english/media/agency_attachments/u8Dd4hyaH0mQGXmyg0Eo.png)
/sky247-english/media/media_files/2025/04/17/qQ0l8OAmGz1vEV1RYMIt.jpg)
Follow Us/sky247-english/media/post_banners/4Xq7jn8bxFveSnF1Jvj0.jpg)
Stephen Fleming with big MS Dhoni update (Source: Twitter)
Thursday's hard-fought Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 match between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) ended in a three-run loss for Chennai Super Kings (CSK). CSK captain MS Dhoni battled bravely, scoring 32 runs off of 17 balls, but his effort was unable to lead the home team over the finish line.
/sky247-english/media/media_files/2025/04/23/KE3XRwQ5C2PXqodVxEAS.jpg)
In his 200th match as CSK captain, Dhoni raised the possibility of an unexpected victory by hitting the second and third balls of Sandeep Sharma's final over for sixes with 21 runs needed to win. Dhoni needed 21 runs to win in the last over. When Dhoni pulled a ball towards mid-wicket with 7 runs needed off 3 balls, it should have been a simple two runs to keep the strike, but the former Indian captain could not come back for the second run and was having fitness issues.
'MS Dhoni is nursing a knee injury' – Stephen Fleming
Sandeep Sharma was able to help Sanju Samson's Royals defend the target with the final two balls of the game, both of which produced singles. Ben Stokes and Deepak Chahar have joined Dhoni on the CSK injured list, according to information later provided by CSK head coach Stephen Fleming in the post-game news conference.
"He is nursing a knee injury, which you can see in some of his movement, which is hindering him somewhat," Fleming said about MS Dhoni after the game. "But still, what you saw today is a great player for us. His fitness has always been very professional."
Dhoni has been taking care of this troublesome knee since the IPL 2023 season began, and his participation in the opener against the Gujarat Titans was also in question. Fleming quickly praised the CSK captain for being able to control his fitness.
"He comes a month before the tournament starts, so he doesn't get the opportunity to do a lot (before that)," Fleming said. "He will stay fit, they will do some netting in Ranchi, but his main pre-season (fitness) is done a month before when he comes to Chennai. And he works his way back into match form, and I think you can still see he's playing pretty well. So we never have any doubts about the way he manages himself, and he always gets himself up to speed," the CSK head coach added.