IPL 2019: With Dhoni in den, CSK begin full-fledged preparations

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who landed in the city late on Friday, got down to business and was seen discussing with head coach Stephen Fleming and batting coach Mike Hussey

Defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) kickstarted full-fledged preparations for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League, scheduled to begin from March 23. Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who landed in the city late on Friday, got down to business and was seen discussing with head coach Stephen Fleming and batting coach Mike Hussey.

Dhoni, Rayudu, Jadhav, Raina and the others batted at the nets under the watchful eyes of Fleming and Hussey. The domestic players in the squad, including Karn Sharma, KM Asif and Tamil Nadu 'keeper N Jagadeesan began training on March 6.

140 seconds of Classic #Thala Dhoni! #WhistlePodu #Yellove 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/079ZXqdUaS

— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 16, 2019

India discard Suresh Raina and Tamil Nadu opener Murali Vijay joined the preparatory camp a few days later.

The sweet sound of the willow and whistles is what we wake up to! Courtesy - Monk and Chinna Thala! #WhistlePodu #Yellove 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/1rNC9iuTy3

— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 16, 2019

A Dencoming feeling that cannot be expressed in words! True #Yellove! #WhistlePodu 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/ZBrgx4UE8K

— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 16, 2019

The foreign players in the CSK squad are expected to join the training camp in the days to come as would South Africa captain Faf du Plessis and leg-spinner Imran Tahir, who are part of the squad that is playing the final ODI against Sri Lanka at Cape Town today.

Day 8 of the #SummerOf19 camp in pictures! #WhistlePodu #Yellove 💛🦁 pic.twitter.com/EpWiPfONpy

— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 15, 2019

Hussey, who was supervising the first day of the full-fledged training, said with a team like CSK there are always expectations and added that they can take a lot of confidence from the last season.

“Hopefully, we get plenty more games in Chennai as well, in front of our home fans who we often feel are an extra fielder for us." #Hussmeister @mhussey393 on the #WhistlePoduArmy 🦁💛 https://t.co/3iPUsSWqVO

— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 16, 2019

“With a team like Chennai Super Kings there is always expectations but I think we can take a lot of confidence from the last season going into the new one," the former Australia cricketer was quoted as saying on the CSK website.