MS Dhoni, the captain of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), is not expected to participate in the opening game of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) against Gujarat Titans (GT) at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium on Friday. This is yet another injury setback for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) (March 31).
Dhoni, according to a report, is still having some discomfort in his left knee and is reluctant to make it worse because the squad is lacking choices for wicket-keeping this year. Dhoni may be leaving the IPL after the 2023 season, which would be a significant loss for both CSK and the Ahmedabad residents, who would miss their final opportunity to watch Dhoni in person.
According to the same report, Dhoni was there at CSK's practise session on Thursday, March 30, but he did not bat. A decision will only be made on the actual game day. The 2011 World Cup-winning coach of India, Gary Kirsten, was seen engaging in a lengthy conversation with the former Indian captain.
It is unknown who will captain CSK in the first game of the competition because CSK has not formally appointed a vice-captain. Ravindra Jadeja stands out as a clear possibility, although it is unlikely that CSK will choose him again for the position following his disastrous tenure as captain in 2022.
It will be intriguing to watch if Ben Stokes is awarded the top job on his debut for the team, as many have predicted he will be the team's permanent captain in the post-Dhoni era. Because of his own injuries, Stokes will only use a specialised batter. Ruturaj Gaikwad, a young batter, is another candidate.
Similar to this, CSK lacks an Indian wicketkeeper specialist in their lineup, hence Devon Conway is most likely to assume Dhoni's position.
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