Movements are severely restricted but team's injury issues not allowing legend to take a break
CHENNAI: When Chennai Super Kings lost their sixth wicket with 122 runs on the board against Punjab Kings at the end of the 16th over in Dharamshala on Sunday, everyone expected MS Dhoni to come in. Instead,
Shardul Thakur
walked in to bat and didn't exactly set the stage on fire, leading to criticisms about MSD's decision to hold himself back.
In fact, former CSK player
Harbhajan Singh
said that Dhoni should drop himself and play an extra bowler if he can't come out to bat in such situations.
However, TOI has learnt that not opting to come up the order is more of a compulsion for Dhoni — CSK sources say the former captain is playing the entire IPL with a muscle tear in his leg and there is no way he can run for too long.
The tear happened early in this year's IPL and had the team's second wicketkeeper — Devon Conway, who is also ruled out with an injury before the tournament, been available, MSD might have thought of giving himself a break.
Such is the situation that Dhoni has to play through pain, take his medicines and try to minimize his running. In fact, he has been suggested rest by doctors but the wicketkeeper-batsman doesn't have a choice because the team has been decimated by injuries.
"We are virtually playing with our ‘B' team. Those who are criticizing Dhoni don't know the sacrifice that he is doing for this team," a source close to the developments said.
Dhoni had played the last IPL with a knee injury that had to be operated on just after CSK won the IPL. It was said the knee is completely healed now but the muscle tear has severely restricted his movements on the ground.
During practice, the 42-year-old is not doing any running at all and his entire preparation is around hitting the ball out of the park.
The little bit of running between the wickets that Dhoni has been forced to do during his cameos is only aggravating the injury, but the cricketer will not take a break.
He has been a guiding light for new captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has done reasonably well. As far as Dhoni is concerned, Gaikwad's captaincy is "still a work in progress", but even if the team doesn't make the play-offs, he won't be removed from captaincy. "He is giving his best and we believe we will go much beyond just making the play-offs," the source said.
Chahar unlikely to play any further part
In another blow for the franchise, paceman
Deepak Chahar
too is unlikely to come back from a leg injury that he suffered during CSK's loss to PBKS at home last week.
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