chennai: Mahendra Singh Dhoni On the last lap of his career. For all practical purposes this would be his last intense pulsed light. And now, his 44-year-old body seems to be defying his will, even in one final outburst.Push boundaries with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!Dhoni has been training hard for over a month but he picked up a calf strain during training which may rule him out for around three weeks. While CSK’s official release mentioned a two-week break, team sources said he is unlikely to return before the last week of April.This could mean that the legend will miss at least six games and his return against Mumbai Indians on April 23 is uncertain.stay“This is definitely a big blow for us and we have to deal with it,” a senior CSK official said. Dhoni did not travel to Guwahati for Sunday’s first match against Rajasthan Royals as he is undergoing rehabilitation in Chennai. “He is resting and we hope he returns soon,” the source said.While Dhoni’s absence has reduced the spotlight on CSK, it could also be a blessing in disguise. The five-time IPL winning captain has not been close to his best form over the past few seasons and his role has been limited to a brief batting in the 15th over as he has been constantly hampered by injuries.It’s time for the Super Kings to find a capable lower-order batsman and in Dhoni’s absence, the door could open for the likes of Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma – brought in for Rs 14.2 crore – to shoulder the responsibility of some explosive batting at the end of the innings.Samson holds wicketHowever, the preservation aspect is well covered Sanzhou Samson Not long ago, CSK CEO Kashi Viswanathan had said that Dhoni was unlikely to play in all the matches, suggesting that Sanju would be the number one player. 1’keeper.It also means Dhoni will be the batsman’s ‘impact substitute’ and now, after the injury, CSK may be forced to take this decision even if their star player returns.The fact that Dhoni is not traveling with the team and will not be present in the coaching dugout is a clear indication that the team will be considering a new leadership group during the tournament Ruturaj Gaikwad and Samson take key calls, perhaps consulting with coach Stephen Fleming.While CSK die-hards will hope to get a glimpse of Dhoni in action later in an IPL match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, the next three weeks will give us an idea of what the future holds for the five-time champions.
