It is no longer a secret that MS Dhoni of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) was battling a knee injury during the sixteenth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2023). Dhoni always wore a knee brace and had difficulty in walking properly. Fans watched him limping to and from the team bus. But Dhoni never complained about his injury to anyone in the CSK camp. In fact, a case of injury had come to the fore during the tournament. This is to say of Kasi Viswanathan, CEO of Super Kings.
Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Viswanathan said the CSK management appreciates the commitment of their leader MSD as he battled injury to win a record-equalling fifth title. “We never asked him things like ‘do you want to play or do you want to sit outside.’ If he couldn’t, he would have told us straight away. We knew it was a struggle to play for him, but his commitment to the team, his leadership and how it benefits the team is known to all. From that point of view, you have to appreciate him,” Viswanathan said.
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Vishwanathan said that till the final of the 2023 championship, Dhoni never approached anyone with a knee complaint. However, after the final he told the management that he would undergo a surgery immediately.
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, ,#champion5 #WhistlePodu #Yellow , pic.twitter.com/yw9sv30xLz– Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) May 29, 2023
Viswanathan visited Dhoni in the hospital after the surgery and was satisfied with his condition. Dhoni then informed the CSK management that he would be doing his rehab work in Ranchi. Dhoni also told Vishwanathan that he would not play any cricket, not even the nets, till January or February of 2024.
“Until the final, he never complained to anyone about his knee. Although everyone knew, and you would have seen him struggle running, he didn’t complain once. After the final, he said, ‘ OK, I an operation.’ He has completed his surgery, he is very happy, he is recovering well.”