Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have already begun their preparations for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as the MS Dhoni-led side gears up to defend their title. CSK defeated Kolkata Knight Riders in the final last year to lift their fourth IPL trophy, completing a remarkable comeback having missed out on a spot in the playoffs in IPL 2020.

While not the entire squad has joined CSK's ongoing camp in Ahmedabad, several stars including the likes of captain MS Dhoni, veteran batter Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu and others have started training with the rest of their teammates ahead of the new season. The others are expected to join soon as the start of the season gets closer.

Chennai Super Kings have been sharing several videos and photos of their players training in the camp ahead of the new season. On Friday, CSK shared a video clip of a stump-cam recording of Dhoni and Uthappa's batting session. In the video, the likes of Dhoni, Uthappa and C Hari Nishanth can be seen batting.

The glorious video of the CSK tri playing some brilliant shots in the nets went viral on social media. Check out the video:

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GRUND ZER- The best view ever! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> <a href="https://t.co/aoBB9TUoKO">pic.twitter.com/aoBB9TUoKO</a>
— Chennai Super Kings - Mask Pdu Whistle Pdu! (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1502293441958789123?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2022</a></blockquote>
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CSK will begin their IPL 2022 campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders in the season-opener at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The entire league stage of IPL 2022 is all set to be played across four venues in Mumbai and Pune while the playoffs will be held in Ahmedabad.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/5-indian-players-who-can-replace-deepak-chahar-for-csk-if-he-is-ruled-out-of-ipl-2022-461048">5 Indian players who can replace Deepak Chahar for CSK if he is ruled out of IPL 2022</a>

CSK will be looking to successfully defend their title after roping in some quality players at the IPL 2022 mega auction. While Dhoni &amp; Co. managed to get back some of their old players like Dwayne Bravo, Deepak Chahar and Ambati Rayudu among others, CSK have also added a number of talented youngsters to their ranks.

However, CSK have been dealt with a huge blow ahead of the new season as their most expensive buy at the mega auction - pacer Deepak Chahar is likely to miss the first couple of weeks of IPL 2022 due to an injury. In his absence, CSK will hope for a good show from the likes of Tushar Deshpande, Shivam Dube and Rajvardhan Hangargekar among others.

&nbsp;

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have already begun their preparations for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as the MS Dhoni-led side gears up to defend their title.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have already begun their preparations for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as the MS Dhoni-led side gears up to defend their title. CSK defeated Kolkata Knight Riders in the final last year to lift their fourth IPL trophy, completing a remarkable comeback having missed out on a spot in the playoffs in IPL 2020. While not the entire squad has joined CSK's ongoing camp in Ahmedabad, several stars including the likes of captain MS Dhoni, veteran batter Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu and others have started training with the rest of their teammates ahead of the new season. The others are expected to join soon as the start of the season gets closer. Chennai Super Kings have been sharing several videos and photos of their players training in the camp ahead of the new season. On Friday, CSK shared a video clip of a stump-cam recording of Dhoni and Uthappa's batting session. In the video, the likes of Dhoni, Uthappa and C Hari Nishanth can be seen batting. The glorious video of the CSK tri playing some brilliant shots in the nets went viral on social media. Check out the video: GRUND ZER- The best view ever! #WhistlePodu pic.twitter.com/aoBB9TUoKO — Chennai Super Kings - Mask Pdu Whistle Pdu! (@ChennaiIPL) March 11, 2022 × CSK will begin their IPL 2022 campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders in the season-opener at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The entire league stage of IPL 2022 is all set to be played across four venues in Mumbai and Pune while the playoffs will be held in Ahmedabad. Also Read: 5 Indian players who can replace Deepak Chahar for CSK if he is ruled out of IPL 2022 CSK will be looking to successfully defend their title after roping in some quality players at the IPL 2022 mega auction. While Dhoni & Co. managed to get back some of their old players like Dwayne Bravo, Deepak Chahar and Ambati Rayudu among others, CSK have also added a number of talented youngsters to their ranks. However, CSK have been dealt with a huge blow ahead of the new season as their most expensive buy at the mega auction - pacer Deepak Chahar is likely to miss the first couple of weeks of IPL 2022 due to an injury. In his absence, CSK will hope for a good show from the likes of Tushar Deshpande, Shivam Dube and Rajvardhan Hangargekar among others.

CSK share stump cam video of MS Dhoni and Robin Uthappa's batting session ahead of IPL 2022 - WATCH

MS Dhoni remains a big name in international cricket. Despite his retirement from the highest level, on August 15 2020, the 40-year-old remains an extremely popular for his overall contribution to Indian cricket. Dhoni signed off from international cricket, with 17,266 runs, 108 fifties, 16 centuries, 634 catches, 195 stumpings, 359 sixes and also leading India to all major ICC titles.

Dhoni became a household name soon after he broke into the scene at the highest level in 2004. In his early years, he was a fearless striker of the ball who also played some audacious and unorthodox shots from time to time. During the 2006 Champions Trophy, Dhoni made a vital 23-ball 28 in Rahul Dravid &amp; Co.'s face-off versus Ricky Ponting's Australia, in Mohali, but made heads turn with a stunning reverse sweep off Nathan Bracken in India's final over.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-virat-kohli-ms-dhoni-to-hardik-pandya-top-5-cricketing-superstars-with-most-instagram-followers-460635">From Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni to Hardik Pandya: Top 5 cricketing superstars with most Instagram followers</a>

With wickets tumbling and&nbsp;India&nbsp;aiming for over a 260-run score, Dhoni was on strike in the final over and&nbsp;targetted some big shots. While he fell on the last ball of the Indian innings, with the score 249-8, he played a eye-catching reverse sweep (or pulled off an AB de Villiers). Here's the video:

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ABD who? Hold Dhoni's Beer <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CricketTwitter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CricketTwitter</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2022</a> <a href="https://t.co/Qbz7Cy6nOK">pic.twitter.com/Qbz7Cy6nOK</a>
— SHIVAM (@SMUDGE4549) <a href="https://twitter.com/SMUDGE4549/status/1501974503248711691?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2022</a></blockquote>
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While it can be termed as an AB de Villiers-esque stroke in the current era, back then the South African had just announced his arrival in international circuit. He hadn't even scored an ODI century when Dhoni pulled off a miraculous stroke against Bracken.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/you-have-to-be-special-maybe-i-would-have-never-played-for-india-if-i-was-an-indian-ab-de-villiers-451562">You have to be special, maybe I would have never played for India if I was an Indian: AB de Villiers</a>

Talking about the India-Aus face-off, Dravid-led side's 249/8 was not much of a challenge for the Aussies as the Men in Yellow chased down the score with six wickets and 26 balls to spare. Australia later faced West Indies in the summit clash and won the title without dropping much sweat in the finale (by 8 wickets).

MS Dhoni remains a big name in international cricket. Despite his retirement from the highest level, on August 15 2020, the 40-year-old remains an extremely popular for his overall contribution to Indian cricket.

MS Dhoni remains a big name in international cricket. Despite his retirement from the highest level, on August 15 2020, the 40-year-old remains an extremely popular for his overall contribution to Indian cricket. Dhoni signed off from international cricket, with 17,266 runs, 108 fifties, 16 centuries, 634 catches, 195 stumpings, 359 sixes and also leading India to all major ICC titles. Dhoni became a household name soon after he broke into the scene at the highest level in 2004. In his early years, he was a fearless striker of the ball who also played some audacious and unorthodox shots from time to time. During the 2006 Champions Trophy, Dhoni made a vital 23-ball 28 in Rahul Dravid & Co.'s face-off versus Ricky Ponting's Australia, in Mohali, but made heads turn with a stunning reverse sweep off Nathan Bracken in India's final over. ALSO READ | From Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni to Hardik Pandya: Top 5 cricketing superstars with most Instagram followers With wickets tumbling and India aiming for over a 260-run score, Dhoni was on strike in the final over and targetted some big shots. While he fell on the last ball of the Indian innings, with the score 249-8, he played a eye-catching reverse sweep (or pulled off an AB de Villiers). Here's the video: ABD who? Hold Dhoni's Beer #CricketTwitter #IPL2022 pic.twitter.com/Qbz7Cy6nOK — SHIVAM (@SMUDGE4549) March 10, 2022 × While it can be termed as an AB de Villiers-esque stroke in the current era, back then the South African had just announced his arrival in international circuit. He hadn't even scored an ODI century when Dhoni pulled off a miraculous stroke against Bracken. ALSO READ | You have to be special, maybe I would have never played for India if I was an Indian: AB de Villiers Talking about the India-Aus face-off, Dravid-led side's 249/8 was not much of a challenge for the Aussies as the Men in Yellow chased down the score with six wickets and 26 balls to spare. Australia later faced West Indies in the summit clash and won the title without dropping much sweat in the finale (by 8 wickets).

WATCH: When Dhoni pulled off an AB de Villiers-esque reverse sweep during India's 2006 CT tie vs AUS

Rohit Sharma is set to achieve a big milestone when he comes out for the coin toss in India's second and final Test versus Sri Lanka at the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on March 12 (Saturday). Rohit will join Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar and five other Indians in an elite list at the start of the series decider against the Islanders.

So far, eight Indians have played 400, or more, internationals. The list is spearheaded by Master Blaster Tendulkar and comprises Dhoni, current head coach Rahul Dravid, Kohli, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh and the likes. Rohit will, thus, become the 9th Indian to enter the list.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-on-cusp-of-surpassing-mark-waugh-gary-sobers-in-elite-list-as-india-take-on-sri-lanka-in-2nd-test-460878">Virat Kohli on cusp of surpassing Mark Waugh, Gary Sobers in elite list as India take on Sri Lanka in 2nd Test</a>

Most matches in a career

Sachin Tendulkar - 664 (INDIA) 
MS Dhoni - 538 (ASIA/INDIA) 
Rahul Dravid - 509 (ASIA/INDIA/ICC) 
Virat Kohli - 457* (INDIA) 
Md Azharuddin - 433 (INDIA) 
Sourav Ganguly - 424 (ASIA/INDIA) 
Anil Kumble - 403 (ASIA/INDIA) 
Yuvraj Singh - 402 (ASIA/INDIA) 
Rohit Sharma - 399* (INDIA)

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/throwback-when-dravid-proved-arun-lals-prediction-wrong-by-hitting-a-huge-six-in-indo-pak-test-watch-460257">THROWBACK: When Dravid proved Arun Lal's prediction wrong by hitting a huge six in Indo-Pak Test - WATCH</a>

For the unversed, Rohit has featured in 44 Tests, 230 ODIs and 125 T20Is for Team India. In his 45th Test, the 34-year-old will enter another elusive list in his illustrious career. Making his international debut in 2007, the right-hander's career took an emphatic turn when he was promoted as an opener in the white-ball formats. Since then, he hasn't looked behind and has also been India's best performer across formats in the last few years (also turning things around in style in the red-ball format since late 2019).&nbsp;

Coming back to the India-SL series, Rohit &amp; Co. won the first Test by an innings and 222 runs. They will aim for a clean sweep in the second and final Test, which will be a pink-ball contest in Bengaluru.

Rohit Sharma is set to achieve a big milestone when he comes out for the coin toss in India's second and final Test versus Sri Lanka at the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on March 12 (Saturday).

Rohit Sharma is set to achieve a big milestone when he comes out for the coin toss in India's second and final Test versus Sri Lanka at the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on March 12 (Saturday). Rohit will join Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar and five other Indians in an elite list at the start of the series decider against the Islanders. So far, eight Indians have played 400, or more, internationals. The list is spearheaded by Master Blaster Tendulkar and comprises Dhoni, current head coach Rahul Dravid, Kohli, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh and the likes. Rohit will, thus, become the 9th Indian to enter the list. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli on cusp of surpassing Mark Waugh, Gary Sobers in elite list as India take on Sri Lanka in 2nd Test Most matches in a career Sachin Tendulkar - 664 (INDIA) MS Dhoni - 538 (ASIA/INDIA) Rahul Dravid - 509 (ASIA/INDIA/ICC) Virat Kohli - 457* (INDIA) Md Azharuddin - 433 (INDIA) Sourav Ganguly - 424 (ASIA/INDIA) Anil Kumble - 403 (ASIA/INDIA) Yuvraj Singh - 402 (ASIA/INDIA) Rohit Sharma - 399* (INDIA) ALSO READ | THROWBACK: When Dravid proved Arun Lal's prediction wrong by hitting a huge six in Indo-Pak Test - WATCH For the unversed, Rohit has featured in 44 Tests, 230 ODIs and 125 T20Is for Team India. In his 45th Test, the 34-year-old will enter another elusive list in his illustrious career. Making his international debut in 2007, the right-hander's career took an emphatic turn when he was promoted as an opener in the white-ball formats. Since then, he hasn't looked behind and has also been India's best performer across formats in the last few years (also turning things around in style in the red-ball format since late 2019). Coming back to the India-SL series, Rohit & Co. won the first Test by an innings and 222 runs. They will aim for a clean sweep in the second and final Test, which will be a pink-ball contest in Bengaluru.

Rohit Sharma to join Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni in elite list in India's pink-ball Test vs Sri Lanka

Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Gautam Gambhir has named one Indian star who used to give him sleepless nights in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Gambhir is one of the most successful leaders in the history of IPL with two trophies to his name as the captain of KKR.

Gambhir led KKR to their maiden IPL triumph in 2012 before inspiring them to another trophy in 2014. Gambhir's KKR had defeated MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL 2012 final to lift their first title before beating Punjab Kings in the final of the 2014 edition to win their second IPL crown.

As a captain, Gambhir came up against some of the best skippers in the IPL in the form of MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma among others. Recalling his captaincy stint for KKR, Gambhir revealed Rohit was one captain who used to give him 'sleepless nights'.

Gambhir hailed Rohit as the most successful cricketer in the history of IPL and lauded him for being a terrific leader. Rohit is the most successful captain in the history of IPL with five titles to his name for his side Mumbai Indians.&nbsp;

"As captain, Rohit Sharma is the only player who gave me sleepless nights. Neither Chris Gayle nor AB de Villiers nor anyone else, only Rohit Sharma. He is the player who gave me sleepless nights," said Gambhir on Star Sports.

There is no more successful cricketer in the history of Indian Premier League (IPL) than Rohit Sharma as captain," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-relief-for-dhoni-co-csk-pacer-deepak-chahar-likely-to-be-available-from-mid-april-report-460472">IPL 2022: Relief for Dhoni &amp; Co.! Deepak Chahar likely to be available from mid-April - Report</a>

Gautam Gambhir returns to IPL

Gambhir has made a comeback in the Indian Premier League as a mentor this time around. Having played his last season in 2018, Gambhir had opted for commentary after retiring from cricket. However, the former India opener has now been roped in as a mentor by the Lucknow Super Giants.

Gambhir will be mentoring the KL Rahul-led side in their debut season in the league. The former KKR skipper was also part of the Lucknow think tank at the IPL 2022 mega auction last month.

&nbsp;

Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Gautam Gambhir has named one Indian star who used to give him sleepless nights in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Gambhir is one of the most successful leaders in the history of IPL with two trophies to his name as the captain of KKR.

Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Gautam Gambhir has named one Indian star who used to give him sleepless nights in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Gambhir is one of the most successful leaders in the history of IPL with two trophies to his name as the captain of KKR. Gambhir led KKR to their maiden IPL triumph in 2012 before inspiring them to another trophy in 2014. Gambhir's KKR had defeated MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL 2012 final to lift their first title before beating Punjab Kings in the final of the 2014 edition to win their second IPL crown. As a captain, Gambhir came up against some of the best skippers in the IPL in the form of MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma among others. Recalling his captaincy stint for KKR, Gambhir revealed Rohit was one captain who used to give him 'sleepless nights'. Gambhir hailed Rohit as the most successful cricketer in the history of IPL and lauded him for being a terrific leader. Rohit is the most successful captain in the history of IPL with five titles to his name for his side Mumbai Indians. "As captain, Rohit Sharma is the only player who gave me sleepless nights. Neither Chris Gayle nor AB de Villiers nor anyone else, only Rohit Sharma. He is the player who gave me sleepless nights," said Gambhir on Star Sports. There is no more successful cricketer in the history of Indian Premier League (IPL) than Rohit Sharma as captain," he added. Also Read: IPL 2022: Relief for Dhoni & Co.! Deepak Chahar likely to be available from mid-April - Report Gautam Gambhir returns to IPL Gambhir has made a comeback in the Indian Premier League as a mentor this time around. Having played his last season in 2018, Gambhir had opted for commentary after retiring from cricket. However, the former India opener has now been roped in as a mentor by the Lucknow Super Giants. Gambhir will be mentoring the KL Rahul-led side in their debut season in the league. The former KKR skipper was also part of the Lucknow think tank at the IPL 2022 mega auction last month.

Not Dhoni or Kohli! Gautam Gambhir names player who used to give him 'sleepless nights' in IPL

MS Dhoni remains the darling of the masses. Despite retiring from international cricket on August 15 2020 -- after a year-long sabbatical -- the 40-year-old remains a big name in world cricket and his fan following hasn't died down by any means.

Dhoni became a household name during his illustrious international career, gaining popularity due to his power-hitting, finishing skills and leading India to all major ICC titles during his captaincy tenure. Ahead of the IPL 2022 edition, in India, the veteran was seen hitting some big shots in the practice camp of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), currently being held in Surat, Gujarat.

The video of Dhoni practicing his big hits have gone viral in no time on social media platforms. Here's the clip:

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-skipper-ms-dhoni-flaunts-his-footvolley-skills-in-practice-session-ahead-of-ipl-2022-opener-watch-460135">CSK skipper MS Dhoni flaunts his footvolley skills in practice session ahead of IPL 2022 opener - WATCH</a>

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That last six from Mahi 😍🔥 <a href="https://t.co/j9puE06Lmp">pic.twitter.com/j9puE06Lmp</a>
— Sports Hustle (@SportsHustle3) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsHustle3/status/1501126700008361991?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-complete-schedule-announced-ms-dhonis-csk-to-take-on-kkr-in-season-opener-459595">IPL 2022 complete schedule announced: MS Dhoni's CSK to take on KKR in season-opener</a>

In IPL 2021, Dhoni did lead the Yellow Army to their fourth title but had an ordinary run with the bat, amassing 114 runs at a strike-rate of 106.54, barring his match-finishing cameo in Qualifier 1 versus Delhi Capitals (DC). Thus, the former Indian captain will be eager to turn the tides this time around with the willow in hand.

CSK, the defending champions, will commence their campaign by locking horns with Shreyas Iyer's Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2022's opener on March 26 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.&nbsp;

Will Dhoni shine with the bat for CSK in the forthcoming IPL season? Will the franchise manage to defend their title? Only time will tell...

MS Dhoni remains the darling of the masses. Despite retiring from international cricket on August 15 2020 -- after a year-long sabbatical -- the 40-year-old remains a big name in world cricket and his fan following hasn't died down by any means.

MS Dhoni remains the darling of the masses. Despite retiring from international cricket on August 15 2020 -- after a year-long sabbatical -- the 40-year-old remains a big name in world cricket and his fan following hasn't died down by any means. Dhoni became a household name during his illustrious international career, gaining popularity due to his power-hitting, finishing skills and leading India to all major ICC titles during his captaincy tenure. Ahead of the IPL 2022 edition, in India, the veteran was seen hitting some big shots in the practice camp of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), currently being held in Surat, Gujarat. The video of Dhoni practicing his big hits have gone viral in no time on social media platforms. Here's the clip: ALSO READ | CSK skipper MS Dhoni flaunts his footvolley skills in practice session ahead of IPL 2022 opener - WATCH That last six from Mahi 😍🔥 pic.twitter.com/j9puE06Lmp — Sports Hustle (@SportsHustle3) March 8, 2022 × ALSO READ | IPL 2022 complete schedule announced: MS Dhoni's CSK to take on KKR in season-opener In IPL 2021, Dhoni did lead the Yellow Army to their fourth title but had an ordinary run with the bat, amassing 114 runs at a strike-rate of 106.54, barring his match-finishing cameo in Qualifier 1 versus Delhi Capitals (DC). Thus, the former Indian captain will be eager to turn the tides this time around with the willow in hand. CSK, the defending champions, will commence their campaign by locking horns with Shreyas Iyer's Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2022's opener on March 26 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Will Dhoni shine with the bat for CSK in the forthcoming IPL season? Will the franchise manage to defend their title? Only time will tell...

Watch: MS Dhoni turns back the clock, goes bonkers and slams big sixes in CSK nets before IPL 2022

From Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni to Hardik Pandya: Top 5 cricketing superstars with most Instagram followers

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition is around the corner. The complete schedule was announced by the BCCI on Sunday (March 06) as the excitement is building for the upcoming season. Ahead of the season-opener, the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are having their practice session in Surat, Gujarat.

In a recently-released practice session video from the Yellow Army's camp, skipper Dhoni made heads turn by showcasing his footvolley skills. In the clip shared by the official Twitter handle of CSK, the 40-year-old superstar cricketer was seen having fun with his team members as they engaged in a footvolley segment while preparing for the forthcoming season.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-complete-schedule-announced-ms-dhonis-csk-to-take-on-kkr-in-season-opener-459595">IPL 2022 complete schedule announced: MS Dhoni's CSK to take on KKR in season-opener</a>

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Namma Special 🦁 Footvolley segment is B⚽CK! 🔁<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> <a href="https://t.co/pXxIe994sG">pic.twitter.com/pXxIe994sG</a>
— Chennai Super Kings - Mask P😷du Whistle P🥳du! (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1500867862453719044?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chennai-super-kings-complete-squad-for-ipl-2022-deepak-chahar-most-expensive-in-raina-less-line-up-453033">Chennai Super Kings complete squad for IPL 2022: Deepak Chahar most expensive in Raina-less line-up</a>

For the unversed, the Dhoni-led CSK franchise will begin their title-defence in IPL 2022 opening fixture as they will lock horns with Shreyas Iyer's Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the iconic&nbsp;Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 26.

Under Dhoni, CSK had won the IPL 2021 season, their fourth-title overall, by beating KKR in the summit clash by 27 runs. This time around, they have strengthened their squad with new additions in the form of Devon Conway, Adam Milne, Chris Jordan, Shivam Dube, etc.

Complete squad for Dhoni-led CSK for IPL 2022:

Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c &amp; wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Devon Conway, Subhranshu Senapati, Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Simarjeet Singh, Adam Milne, Mukesh Choudhary, Dwayne Bravo, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Prashant Solanki

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition is around the corner. The complete schedule was announced by the BCCI on Sunday (March 06) as the excitement is building for the upcoming season.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition is around the corner. The complete schedule was announced by the BCCI on Sunday (March 06) as the excitement is building for the upcoming season. Ahead of the season-opener, the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are having their practice session in Surat, Gujarat. In a recently-released practice session video from the Yellow Army's camp, skipper Dhoni made heads turn by showcasing his footvolley skills. In the clip shared by the official Twitter handle of CSK, the 40-year-old superstar cricketer was seen having fun with his team members as they engaged in a footvolley segment while preparing for the forthcoming season. ALSO READ | IPL 2022 complete schedule announced: MS Dhoni's CSK to take on KKR in season-opener Namma Special 🦁 Footvolley segment is B⚽CK! 🔁#WhistlePodu pic.twitter.com/pXxIe994sG — Chennai Super Kings - Mask P😷du Whistle P🥳du! (@ChennaiIPL) March 7, 2022 × ALSO READ | Chennai Super Kings complete squad for IPL 2022: Deepak Chahar most expensive in Raina-less line-up For the unversed, the Dhoni-led CSK franchise will begin their title-defence in IPL 2022 opening fixture as they will lock horns with Shreyas Iyer's Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 26. Under Dhoni, CSK had won the IPL 2021 season, their fourth-title overall, by beating KKR in the summit clash by 27 runs. This time around, they have strengthened their squad with new additions in the form of Devon Conway, Adam Milne, Chris Jordan, Shivam Dube, etc. Complete squad for Dhoni-led CSK for IPL 2022: Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Devon Conway, Subhranshu Senapati, Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Simarjeet Singh, Adam Milne, Mukesh Choudhary, Dwayne Bravo, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Prashant Solanki

CSK skipper MS Dhoni flaunts his footvolley skills in practice session ahead of IPL 2022 opener - WATCH

Ireland pacer Josh Little has been roped in by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as a net bowler for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.

"Congrats to Josh Little who is heading off on a development opportunity with the Chennai Super Kings in the early stages of the upcoming IPL. The experience as a net bowler for CSK should be fantastic," Cricket Ireland tweeted.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday had announced the schedule for IPL 2022.

A total number of 70 league matches and 4 Playoff games will be played in the duration of 65 days.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-skipper-ms-dhoni-flaunts-his-footvolley-skills-in-practice-session-ahead-of-ipl-2022-opener-watch-460135">CSK skipper MS Dhoni flaunts his footvolley skills in practice session ahead of IPL 2022 opener - WATCH</a>

The 15th season will start on March 26 at the Wankhede stadium with a blockbuster clash between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders.

On March 27, the league will stage its first double-header starting off with a Day game at Brabourne where the Delhi Capitals will square off against Mumbai Indians.

The DY Patil Stadium will host the clash between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore at night.

There will be 12 doubleheaders in total with the first match starting at 3:30 PM IST. All evening matches will start at 7:30 PM IST.

The final game of the league stage will be played between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings on May 22 at the Wankhede Stadium.

The schedule for the Playoffs and the IPL 2022 final to be played on May 29 will be announced later.

&nbsp;ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/daniel-vettori-gives-his-verdict-on-whether-virat-kohli-will-return-to-rcb-captaincy-in-ipl-2022-459951">Daniel Vettori gives his verdict on whether Virat Kohli will return to RCB captaincy in IPL 2022</a>

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) squad: MS Dhoni, Moeen Ali, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Ambati Rayudu, Dwayne Bravo, Robin Uthappa, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Tushar Deshpande, Shivam Dube, Maheesh Theekshana, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Simarjeet Singh, Devon Conway, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Subhranshu Senapati, Mukesh Choudhary, Prashant Solanki, C Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Chris Jordan, K Bhagath Varma.

Ireland pacer Josh Little has been roped in by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as a net bowler for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. "Congrats to Josh Little who is heading off on a development opportunity with the Chennai Super Kings in the early stages of the upcoming IPL.

Ireland pacer Josh Little has been roped in by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as a net bowler for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. "Congrats to Josh Little who is heading off on a development opportunity with the Chennai Super Kings in the early stages of the upcoming IPL. The experience as a net bowler for CSK should be fantastic," Cricket Ireland tweeted. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday had announced the schedule for IPL 2022. A total number of 70 league matches and 4 Playoff games will be played in the duration of 65 days. ALSO READ: CSK skipper MS Dhoni flaunts his footvolley skills in practice session ahead of IPL 2022 opener - WATCH The 15th season will start on March 26 at the Wankhede stadium with a blockbuster clash between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders. On March 27, the league will stage its first double-header starting off with a Day game at Brabourne where the Delhi Capitals will square off against Mumbai Indians. The DY Patil Stadium will host the clash between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore at night. There will be 12 doubleheaders in total with the first match starting at 3:30 PM IST. All evening matches will start at 7:30 PM IST. The final game of the league stage will be played between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings on May 22 at the Wankhede Stadium. The schedule for the Playoffs and the IPL 2022 final to be played on May 29 will be announced later. ALSO READ: Daniel Vettori gives his verdict on whether Virat Kohli will return to RCB captaincy in IPL 2022 Chennai Super Kings (CSK) squad: MS Dhoni, Moeen Ali, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Ambati Rayudu, Dwayne Bravo, Robin Uthappa, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Tushar Deshpande, Shivam Dube, Maheesh Theekshana, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Simarjeet Singh, Devon Conway, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Subhranshu Senapati, Mukesh Choudhary, Prashant Solanki, C Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Chris Jordan, K Bhagath Varma.

IPL 2022: MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings rope in Ireland pacer Josh Little as net bowler

India wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant missed out on his fifth Test hundred as he was dismissed for 96 off 97 balls during India's first innings on Day 1 of the ongoing first Test between India and Sri Lanka at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Friday. Pant&nbsp;looked in great touch and was smacking the Sri Lankan spinners all around the park before falling short of a well-deserved ton by just 4 runs.

The left-hander came out to bat at number five for India when the hosts were 170/3 after Virat Kohli's dismissal for 45 off 76 deliveries. India lost Hanuma Vihari's wicket too soon after Pant's arrival as they were left reeling on 175/4 before the left-hander combined with Shreyas Iyer (27) to add 53 runs for the fifth wicket.

Pant went on to notch up his half-century after Iyer's departure and added another crucial stand of 104 runs with Ravindra Jadeja (45 not out) for the sixth wicket. He shifted gears after reaching his fifty and raced towards his hundred by smashing two sixes and two fours in the 76th over from Lasith Embuldeniya.

Pant looked set to reach his hundred comfortably, however, he was dismissed by Suranga Lakmal on 96. Pant has now been dismissed in the nervous 90s on five occasions in Test cricket and has equalled MS Dhoni's unwanted record. Dhoni and Pant are two Indian wicket-keeper batters with most dismissals in the nervous 90s in Test cricket.

While Dhoni scored six centuries in Test cricket, Pant has already slammed four hundreds in the longest format and is likely to finish with many more centuries in his career. He has been one of India's best performers with the bat in Test cricket for the last couple of years.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-am-not-too-worried-about-milestones-says-virat-kohli-after-big-scores-continue-to-evade-him-458977">I am not too worried about milestones, says Virat Kohli after big scores continue to evade him</a>

With the help of his 96 and crucial knocks from the likes of Vihari (58), Kohli (45) and Jadeja (45*), India finished with a strong total of 357 runs on the board on Day 1 of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Mohali. India will be looking to breach the 400-run mark on Day 2 of the Test match on Saturday.

India wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant missed out on his fifth Test hundred as he was dismissed for 96 off 97 balls during India's first innings on Day 1 of the ongoing first Test between India and Sri Lanka at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Friday.

India wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant missed out on his fifth Test hundred as he was dismissed for 96 off 97 balls during India's first innings on Day 1 of the ongoing first Test between India and Sri Lanka at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Friday. Pant looked in great touch and was smacking the Sri Lankan spinners all around the park before falling short of a well-deserved ton by just 4 runs. The left-hander came out to bat at number five for India when the hosts were 170/3 after Virat Kohli's dismissal for 45 off 76 deliveries. India lost Hanuma Vihari's wicket too soon after Pant's arrival as they were left reeling on 175/4 before the left-hander combined with Shreyas Iyer (27) to add 53 runs for the fifth wicket. Pant went on to notch up his half-century after Iyer's departure and added another crucial stand of 104 runs with Ravindra Jadeja (45 not out) for the sixth wicket. He shifted gears after reaching his fifty and raced towards his hundred by smashing two sixes and two fours in the 76th over from Lasith Embuldeniya. Pant looked set to reach his hundred comfortably, however, he was dismissed by Suranga Lakmal on 96. Pant has now been dismissed in the nervous 90s on five occasions in Test cricket and has equalled MS Dhoni's unwanted record. Dhoni and Pant are two Indian wicket-keeper batters with most dismissals in the nervous 90s in Test cricket. While Dhoni scored six centuries in Test cricket, Pant has already slammed four hundreds in the longest format and is likely to finish with many more centuries in his career. He has been one of India's best performers with the bat in Test cricket for the last couple of years. Also Read: I am not too worried about milestones, says Virat Kohli after big scores continue to evade him With the help of his 96 and crucial knocks from the likes of Vihari (58), Kohli (45) and Jadeja (45*), India finished with a strong total of 357 runs on the board on Day 1 of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Mohali. India will be looking to breach the 400-run mark on Day 2 of the Test match on Saturday.

Rishabh Pant equals MS Dhoni's unwanted record after missing out on 5th Test hundred in 1st Test vs SL

Rohit Sharma started his Test captaincy tenure as India locked horns with Sri Lanka in the two-match series opener at the IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on Friday (March 04). The 34-year-old was appointed as the full-time Indian skipper after the national selectors named him as Virat Kohli's successor in whites last month.&nbsp;

With the commencement of his Test captaincy tenure, Rohit became the 35th Indian cricketer to lead the men's side in the purest format. He joined the elite list of legendary captains -- comprising Kohli, MS Dhoni, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Md Azharuddin, Ajit Wadekar, MK Pataudi, Sunil Gavaskar, etc. -- with his Test captaincy debut.

Talking about the same at the coin toss, Rohit said, "It is a huge honour to be captaining India and be part of the list. It is something I never dreamt of." Hitman won the toss in his historic Test match as India opted to bat first versus the Dimuth Karunaratne-led Islanders.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kohli-adds-another-feather-in-illustrious-hat-during-100th-test-becomes-6th-indian-to-enter-8000-run-club-458868">Kohli adds another feather in illustrious hat during 100th Test, becomes 6th Indian to enter 8,000-run club</a>

After a good start, Rohit fell for 29 on Day 1 of the series opener in Mohali. His opening partner Mayank Agarwal (33) also followed suit soon after his dismissal as India have crossed the 250-run mark with the loss of five wickets and will look to take the score past the 350-run mark.

The first Test is also Kohli's 100th appearance in whites. On his special Test, the 33-year-old returned for a 76-ball 45 and also completed 8,000 runs in the format; sixth Indian to do so.

Rohit Sharma started his Test captaincy tenure as India locked horns with Sri Lanka in the two-match series opener at the IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on Friday (March 04).

Rohit Sharma started his Test captaincy tenure as India locked horns with Sri Lanka in the two-match series opener at the IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on Friday (March 04). The 34-year-old was appointed as the full-time Indian skipper after the national selectors named him as Virat Kohli's successor in whites last month. With the commencement of his Test captaincy tenure, Rohit became the 35th Indian cricketer to lead the men's side in the purest format. He joined the elite list of legendary captains -- comprising Kohli, MS Dhoni, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Md Azharuddin, Ajit Wadekar, MK Pataudi, Sunil Gavaskar, etc. -- with his Test captaincy debut. Talking about the same at the coin toss, Rohit said, "It is a huge honour to be captaining India and be part of the list. It is something I never dreamt of." Hitman won the toss in his historic Test match as India opted to bat first versus the Dimuth Karunaratne-led Islanders. ALSO READ | Kohli adds another feather in illustrious hat during 100th Test, becomes 6th Indian to enter 8,000-run club After a good start, Rohit fell for 29 on Day 1 of the series opener in Mohali. His opening partner Mayank Agarwal (33) also followed suit soon after his dismissal as India have crossed the 250-run mark with the loss of five wickets and will look to take the score past the 350-run mark. The first Test is also Kohli's 100th appearance in whites. On his special Test, the 33-year-old returned for a 76-ball 45 and also completed 8,000 runs in the format; sixth Indian to do so.

Ind vs SL: Rohit joins Kohli, Dhoni, Dravid to become 35th cricketer to captain Team India in Tests

Suresh Raina wasn't retained by the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. However, he was still expected to attract few bids in the two-day auction affair in Bengaluru, held last month. Nonetheless, the veteran player didn't fetch a single bid in the auction proceedings as the CSK franchise didn't try to bring him back in their setup whereas no other team showed interest in acquiring his services.

After England's swashbuckling opener Jason Roy recently withdrew from the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition, citing bio-bubble fatigue, many thought the Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) would acquire Raina's services as a replacement for Roy. Nonetheless, as per sources, these reports aren't true.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/the-day-hardik-starts-bowling-hell-pip-iyer-for-the-all-rounders-slot-for-t20-world-cup-aakash-chopra-458204">The day Hardik starts bowling, he'll pip Iyer for the all-rounder's slot for T20 World Cup: Aakash Chopra</a>

"No, Suresh Raina is not joining Gujarat Titans. He is not even in consideration for spot," sources close to the development told&nbsp;timesnownews.com.

Earlier this week, England's limited-overs specialist Roy said in a statement, "Hi everyone, especially the Gujarat Titans fans and squad. It's with a heavy heart I have decided to pull out of this year's tournament. I want to thank the management and the captain Hardik for putting your faith in me and picking me in the auction. However with everything going on in the world over the last 3 years it's added up and taken it's toll on me. I feel it's only right I spend some time working on myself and my game over the next couple of months leading into a very busy year. I will be following each game of the Titans and backing them to lift the trophy in their first year of the tournament."

Roy was roped in by the Gujarat franchise for INR 20 million (INR 2 crore) in the mega auction.

<section>
ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/big-blow-to-ms-dhonis-csk-as-deepak-chahar-set-to-miss-majority-of-ipl-2022-edition-reports-458194">Big blow to MS Dhoni's CSK as Deepak Chahar set to miss majority of IPL 2022 edition - Reports</a>
Talking about Raina, the 35-year-old remains one of the biggest names in IPL. He remains the&nbsp;fourth-highest run-getter (5,528) in the tournament after Virat Kohli (6283), Rohit Sharma (5784) and Shikhar Dhawan (5611). Raina was part of CSK's title campaigns in IPL 2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021.</section>

Suresh Raina wasn't retained by the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. However, he was still expected to attract few bids in the two-day auction affair in Bengaluru, held last month.

Suresh Raina wasn't retained by the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. However, he was still expected to attract few bids in the two-day auction affair in Bengaluru, held last month. Nonetheless, the veteran player didn't fetch a single bid in the auction proceedings as the CSK franchise didn't try to bring him back in their setup whereas no other team showed interest in acquiring his services. After England's swashbuckling opener Jason Roy recently withdrew from the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition, citing bio-bubble fatigue, many thought the Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) would acquire Raina's services as a replacement for Roy. Nonetheless, as per sources, these reports aren't true. ALSO READ | The day Hardik starts bowling, he'll pip Iyer for the all-rounder's slot for T20 World Cup: Aakash Chopra "No, Suresh Raina is not joining Gujarat Titans. He is not even in consideration for spot," sources close to the development told timesnownews.com. Earlier this week, England's limited-overs specialist Roy said in a statement, "Hi everyone, especially the Gujarat Titans fans and squad. It's with a heavy heart I have decided to pull out of this year's tournament. I want to thank the management and the captain Hardik for putting your faith in me and picking me in the auction. However with everything going on in the world over the last 3 years it's added up and taken it's toll on me. I feel it's only right I spend some time working on myself and my game over the next couple of months leading into a very busy year. I will be following each game of the Titans and backing them to lift the trophy in their first year of the tournament." Roy was roped in by the Gujarat franchise for INR 20 million (INR 2 crore) in the mega auction. ALSO READ | Big blow to MS Dhoni's CSK as Deepak Chahar set to miss majority of IPL 2022 edition - Reports Talking about Raina, the 35-year-old remains one of the biggest names in IPL. He remains the fourth-highest run-getter (5,528) in the tournament after Virat Kohli (6283), Rohit Sharma (5784) and Shikhar Dhawan (5611). Raina was part of CSK's title campaigns in IPL 2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021.

Former CSK star Suresh Raina not in consideration for Hardik Pandya's Gujarat Titans in IPL 2022: Sources

In what can be termed as a&nbsp;big development, Deepak Chahar is most likely to miss the majority of the entire IPL 2022 edition, which is set to be held in India from March 26-May 29. Chahar sustained an injury during the India-West Indies T20I series at home and might even miss&nbsp;the entire upcoming season.&nbsp;

Chahar&nbsp;sustained a quadricep tear during the third T20I against West Indies last month. The injury made him miss the entire Sri Lanka T20Is and can also make him skip the IPL 15 edition in India, as per reports. According to ESPNCricinfo, the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is waiting for the final assessment from the National Cricket Academy (NCA), Bengaluru where the fast-bowling all-rounder is undergoing treatment at present.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-teams-to-assemble-in-mumbai-by-march-8-3-5-days-quarantine-before-entering-bio-bubble-458163">IPL 2022: Teams to assemble in Mumbai by March 8; 3-5 days quarantine before entering bio-bubble</a>

For the unversed, CSK had broken the bank to reacquire the services of the 29-year-old Chahar. For the first time in IPL auction history, the Chennai-based franchise shelled over INR 100 million on a player. Chahar was bought back by the four-time winners and defending champions for a whopping INR 140 million (INR 14 crore) in the IPL 2022 mega auction. He has so far accounted for 58 scalps in equal number of games for CSK in the IPL. His absence can be a huge blow to the franchise's chances of defending their title in the forthcoming season.

Chahar has been part of CSK since the franchise's&nbsp;readmission in 2018. Thus, he was part of Chennai's title-winning campaigns&nbsp;in 2018 and 2021.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chennai-super-kings-complete-squad-for-ipl-2022-deepak-chahar-most-expensive-in-raina-less-line-up-453033">Chennai Super Kings complete squad for IPL 2022: Deepak Chahar most expensive in Raina-less line-up</a>

Complete squad for Dhoni-led CSK for IPL 2022:

Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c &amp; wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Devon Conway, Subhranshu Senapati, Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Simarjeet Singh, Adam Milne, Mukesh Choudhary, Dwayne Bravo, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Prashant Solanki

In what can be termed as a big development, Deepak Chahar is most likely to miss the majority of the entire IPL 2022 edition, which is set to be held in India from March 26-May 29.

In what can be termed as a big development, Deepak Chahar is most likely to miss the majority of the entire IPL 2022 edition, which is set to be held in India from March 26-May 29. Chahar sustained an injury during the India-West Indies T20I series at home and might even miss the entire upcoming season. Chahar sustained a quadricep tear during the third T20I against West Indies last month. The injury made him miss the entire Sri Lanka T20Is and can also make him skip the IPL 15 edition in India, as per reports. According to ESPNCricinfo, the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is waiting for the final assessment from the National Cricket Academy (NCA), Bengaluru where the fast-bowling all-rounder is undergoing treatment at present. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Teams to assemble in Mumbai by March 8; 3-5 days quarantine before entering bio-bubble For the unversed, CSK had broken the bank to reacquire the services of the 29-year-old Chahar. For the first time in IPL auction history, the Chennai-based franchise shelled over INR 100 million on a player. Chahar was bought back by the four-time winners and defending champions for a whopping INR 140 million (INR 14 crore) in the IPL 2022 mega auction. He has so far accounted for 58 scalps in equal number of games for CSK in the IPL. His absence can be a huge blow to the franchise's chances of defending their title in the forthcoming season. Chahar has been part of CSK since the franchise's readmission in 2018. Thus, he was part of Chennai's title-winning campaigns in 2018 and 2021. ALSO READ | Chennai Super Kings complete squad for IPL 2022: Deepak Chahar most expensive in Raina-less line-up Complete squad for Dhoni-led CSK for IPL 2022: Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Devon Conway, Subhranshu Senapati, Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Simarjeet Singh, Adam Milne, Mukesh Choudhary, Dwayne Bravo, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Prashant Solanki

Big blow to MS Dhoni's CSK as Deepak Chahar set to miss majority of IPL 2022 edition - Reports

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 is all set to get underway from March 26 and the league stage of the tournament will be played across four venues in Mumbai and Pune. This will be the 15th edition of the tournament, which has become one of the biggest sporting leagues in the world over the years. The Board of Control for Cricket in India has already announced the start date and the venues of the tournament but is yet to confirm the official schedule of IPL 2022.

As per a report in the Indian Express, defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are all set to take on last year's finalists Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the opening game of the season. CSK had defeated KKR by 27 runs in the final of IPL 2021 last year to clinch their fourth title.

This time around, IPL is all set to have a new format with ten teams having been divided into two groups of five each. While CSK are placed in Group B, KKR are in Group B. The two teams will play against each other only once this season as they are part of different groups.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-new-format-explained-mumbai-indians-and-chennai-super-kings-headline-two-groups-456529">IPL 2022 new format explained: Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings headline two groups</a>

Dedicated separate lane for IPL teams

The report further adds that the Maharashtra Government is ready to provide full support to the BCCI in making IPL 2022 a successful event. The state government has reportedly promised a separate lane for easy movement of the IPL teams during the course of the tournament.

The separate lane will help the teams in beating the busy traffic in Mumbai and Pune while travelling to the stadiums and training venues. Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA)'s ground in Bandra-Kurla Complex and Dadoji Kondadev Stadium in Thane are reportedly set to be used as training facilities for the IPL teams during the tournament.

The Wankhede Stadium and the DY Patil Stadium,&nbsp;Brabourne Stadium and the MCA Stadium in Pune are all set to host the 70 league matches during IPL 2022. The dates and venues for the playoffs are yet to be confirmed by the BCCI.

&nbsp;

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 is all set to get underway from March 26 and the league stage of the tournament will be played across four venues in Mumbai and Pune.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 is all set to get underway from March 26 and the league stage of the tournament will be played across four venues in Mumbai and Pune. This will be the 15th edition of the tournament, which has become one of the biggest sporting leagues in the world over the years. The Board of Control for Cricket in India has already announced the start date and the venues of the tournament but is yet to confirm the official schedule of IPL 2022. As per a report in the Indian Express, defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are all set to take on last year's finalists Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the opening game of the season. CSK had defeated KKR by 27 runs in the final of IPL 2021 last year to clinch their fourth title. This time around, IPL is all set to have a new format with ten teams having been divided into two groups of five each. While CSK are placed in Group B, KKR are in Group B. The two teams will play against each other only once this season as they are part of different groups. Also Read: IPL 2022 new format explained: Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings headline two groups Dedicated separate lane for IPL teams The report further adds that the Maharashtra Government is ready to provide full support to the BCCI in making IPL 2022 a successful event. The state government has reportedly promised a separate lane for easy movement of the IPL teams during the course of the tournament. The separate lane will help the teams in beating the busy traffic in Mumbai and Pune while travelling to the stadiums and training venues. Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA)'s ground in Bandra-Kurla Complex and Dadoji Kondadev Stadium in Thane are reportedly set to be used as training facilities for the IPL teams during the tournament. The Wankhede Stadium and the DY Patil Stadium, Brabourne Stadium and the MCA Stadium in Pune are all set to host the 70 league matches during IPL 2022. The dates and venues for the playoffs are yet to be confirmed by the BCCI.

MS Dhoni's CSK to take on Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2022 opener: Report

After the end of the IPL 2022 mega auction, the excitement for the 15th edition of the cash-rich league is at its peak. With the addition of two new teams and a new group stage format introduced, the ardent cricket fans are desperately looking forward to the commencement of the IPL 2022 season in India, from March 26.

Ahead of the new season, Star Sports -- official broadcaster&nbsp;of IPL -- has revealed&nbsp;a teaser for the promo of IPL 15. In the promo, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni is seen in a new moustache look. While only a teaser has been out, Dhoni's new look has garnered eyeballs&nbsp;and&nbsp;become an instant hit among social media users. Here's the teaser of IPL 2022's new promo:

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-would-give-me-important-overs-jasprit-bumrah-reveals-how-rohit-sharma-helped-in-his-growth-456807">He would give me important overs: Jasprit Bumrah reveals how Rohit Sharma helped in his growth</a>

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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-new-format-explained-mumbai-indians-and-chennai-super-kings-headline-two-groups-456529">IPL 2022 new format explained: Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings headline two groups</a>

On Friday (February 25), BCCI announced a new&nbsp;format for the upcoming showpiece event. The forthcoming season will see the ten teams divided into two groups of five.&nbsp;Each team will play twice against all other four sides in their group and with the team in the same row in the other group. In addition, they will play once against the remaining four teams from the other group.

Talking about Dhoni-led CSK, here's the defending champions' full squad for&nbsp;IPL 2022:

Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c &amp; wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Devon Conway, Subhranshu Senapati, Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Simarjeet Singh, Adam Milne, Mukesh Choudhary, Dwayne Bravo, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Prashant Solanki

After the end of the IPL 2022 mega auction, the excitement for the 15th edition of the cash-rich league is at its peak. With the addition of two new teams and a new group stage format introduced, the ardent cricket fans are desperately looking forward to the commencement of the IPL 2022 season in India, from March 26.

After the end of the IPL 2022 mega auction, the excitement for the 15th edition of the cash-rich league is at its peak. With the addition of two new teams and a new group stage format introduced, the ardent cricket fans are desperately looking forward to the commencement of the IPL 2022 season in India, from March 26. Ahead of the new season, Star Sports -- official broadcaster of IPL -- has revealed a teaser for the promo of IPL 15. In the promo, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni is seen in a new moustache look. While only a teaser has been out, Dhoni's new look has garnered eyeballs and become an instant hit among social media users. Here's the teaser of IPL 2022's new promo: ALSO READ | He would give me important overs: Jasprit Bumrah reveals how Rohit Sharma helped in his growth Stay Tuned#DhonisNewLook #ComingSoon pic.twitter.com/S17D8L7JPD — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 26, 2022 × ALSO READ | IPL 2022 new format explained: Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings headline two groups On Friday (February 25), BCCI announced a new format for the upcoming showpiece event. The forthcoming season will see the ten teams divided into two groups of five. Each team will play twice against all other four sides in their group and with the team in the same row in the other group. In addition, they will play once against the remaining four teams from the other group. Talking about Dhoni-led CSK, here's the defending champions' full squad for IPL 2022: Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Devon Conway, Subhranshu Senapati, Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Simarjeet Singh, Adam Milne, Mukesh Choudhary, Dwayne Bravo, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Prashant Solanki

MS Dhoni's new moustache look breaks the internet before IPL 2022 - watch

Rohit Sharma has had a dream start to his captaincy era. While Hitman has led the Men in Blue in only a handful of ODIs and is yet to start his Test captaincy era, the 34-year-old is on a winning spree as the captain in the shortest format.&nbsp;

After India defeated Sri Lanka by 62 runs in the series opener of the three T20Is, in Lucknow on Thursday (February 24), Rohit &amp; Co. attained their best-ever unbeaten streak in the format (10). Ahead of the second and penultimate T20I between both sides in Dharamshala, on Saturday (February 26), Rohit has a few major milestones awaiting him.&nbsp;

If India manage to beat Sri Lanka in the 2nd T20I and take an unassailable lead in the series, it will not only be another series triumph for the Rohit-led side but Hitman will also have most&nbsp;wins in the format as an Indian captain. So far, Rohit has 15 wins from 16 encounters and is currently levelled with Eoin Morgan and Aaron Finch. Among Indian skippers, Rohit is already two ahead of Virat Kohli's tally (13) whereas MS Dhoni comes third (10 wins).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-sl-2nd-t20i-weather-report-will-rain-play-spoilsport-in-second-and-penultimate-tie-in-dharamshala-456685">Ind vs SL, 2nd T20I weather report: Will rain play spoilsport in second and penultimate tie in Dharamshala?</a>

In addition, Rohit is just 19 away from joining an elite list -- comprising Morgan, Finch, Dhoni, Kohli and Babar Azam -- to have 1,000, or more, runs as captain in T20Is. He will also become the second-quickest batter to reach the milestone, after Babar Azam (26 innings). Rohit&nbsp;fell just short of one innings&nbsp;of equalling the feat with the Pakistani. Among Indian captains, he looks set to become the fastest to be the milestone (in 27 innings if he does so on Saturday) -- with Kohli getting there in 30 innings whereas Dhoni was the slowest to get to 1,000 runs as captain in the format (57 innings).

Rohit Sharma has had a dream start to his captaincy era. While Hitman has led the Men in Blue in only a handful of ODIs and is yet to start his Test captaincy era, the 34-year-old is on a winning spree as the captain in the shortest format.

Rohit Sharma has had a dream start to his captaincy era. While Hitman has led the Men in Blue in only a handful of ODIs and is yet to start his Test captaincy era, the 34-year-old is on a winning spree as the captain in the shortest format. After India defeated Sri Lanka by 62 runs in the series opener of the three T20Is, in Lucknow on Thursday (February 24), Rohit & Co. attained their best-ever unbeaten streak in the format (10). Ahead of the second and penultimate T20I between both sides in Dharamshala, on Saturday (February 26), Rohit has a few major milestones awaiting him. If India manage to beat Sri Lanka in the 2nd T20I and take an unassailable lead in the series, it will not only be another series triumph for the Rohit-led side but Hitman will also have most wins in the format as an Indian captain. So far, Rohit has 15 wins from 16 encounters and is currently levelled with Eoin Morgan and Aaron Finch. Among Indian skippers, Rohit is already two ahead of Virat Kohli's tally (13) whereas MS Dhoni comes third (10 wins). ALSO READ | Ind vs SL, 2nd T20I weather report: Will rain play spoilsport in second and penultimate tie in Dharamshala? In addition, Rohit is just 19 away from joining an elite list -- comprising Morgan, Finch, Dhoni, Kohli and Babar Azam -- to have 1,000, or more, runs as captain in T20Is. He will also become the second-quickest batter to reach the milestone, after Babar Azam (26 innings). Rohit fell just short of one innings of equalling the feat with the Pakistani. Among Indian captains, he looks set to become the fastest to be the milestone (in 27 innings if he does so on Saturday) -- with Kohli getting there in 30 innings whereas Dhoni was the slowest to get to 1,000 runs as captain in the format (57 innings).

Ind vs SL, 2nd T20I: Rohit Sharma on the cusp of achieving major milestones in Dharamshala

Pakistan pacer Shahnawaz Dahani is a huge admirer of legendary Indian cricketer MS Dhoni. The fast bowler revealed it was a dream come true moment for him when he got to meet Dhoni and speak with him during the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE last year. Dahani, who was part of Pakistan's squad for the T20 World Cup, met Dhoni after of his side's clash against India in Dubai.

Dhoni was serving as the Indian team's mentor during the showpiece event having retired from international cricket himself in 2020. The former Indian skipper met a number of Pakistani cricketers in Dubai and interacted with them after their game against India.

When asked about his meeting with Dhoni, Pakistan pacer Dahani was full of praise for his idol and shared details of his conversation with him.&nbsp;

“It will take a lot of time for me to explain the level of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Meeting him was a dream come true and I can’t forget that moment. His words were quite beneficial as he told me about life, how to live life, respecting the elders. He told that there will be bad and good days in cricket but you have to embrace it and stay dedicated to the game you love the most," Dahani was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.

Dahani is currently in action for his side Multan Sultans in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2022. The fast bowler has had a brilliant season so far with 16 wickets in ten matches to help his side stay on top of the points table. Multan Sultans are currently on top of the PSL 2022 points table with 18 points from ten matches.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-new-format-explaind-mumbai-indians-and-chennai-super-kings-headline-two-groups-456529">IPL 2022 new format explained -&nbsp;Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings headline two groups</a>

On the other hand, Dhoni, who led Chennai Super Kings to their fourth title triumph in the Indian Premier League (IPL) last year, will return to lead the team once again this year. CSK had retained Dhoni as their second-choice player ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction.

Apart from retaining Ravindra Jadeja, Dhoni, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Moeen Ali, CSK also managed to get back a number of former players like Dwayne Bravo, Ambati Rayudu, Deepak Chahar and Robin Uthappa among others at the IPL 2022 mega auction to build a strong squad for the new season.

Pakistan pacer Shahnawaz Dahani is a huge admirer of legendary Indian cricketer MS Dhoni. The fast bowler revealed it was a dream come true moment for him when he got to meet Dhoni and speak with him during the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE last year.

Pakistan pacer Shahnawaz Dahani is a huge admirer of legendary Indian cricketer MS Dhoni. The fast bowler revealed it was a dream come true moment for him when he got to meet Dhoni and speak with him during the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE last year. Dahani, who was part of Pakistan's squad for the T20 World Cup, met Dhoni after of his side's clash against India in Dubai. Dhoni was serving as the Indian team's mentor during the showpiece event having retired from international cricket himself in 2020. The former Indian skipper met a number of Pakistani cricketers in Dubai and interacted with them after their game against India. When asked about his meeting with Dhoni, Pakistan pacer Dahani was full of praise for his idol and shared details of his conversation with him. “It will take a lot of time for me to explain the level of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Meeting him was a dream come true and I can’t forget that moment. His words were quite beneficial as he told me about life, how to live life, respecting the elders. He told that there will be bad and good days in cricket but you have to embrace it and stay dedicated to the game you love the most," Dahani was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan. Dahani is currently in action for his side Multan Sultans in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2022. The fast bowler has had a brilliant season so far with 16 wickets in ten matches to help his side stay on top of the points table. Multan Sultans are currently on top of the PSL 2022 points table with 18 points from ten matches. Also Read: IPL 2022 new format explained - Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings headline two groups On the other hand, Dhoni, who led Chennai Super Kings to their fourth title triumph in the Indian Premier League (IPL) last year, will return to lead the team once again this year. CSK had retained Dhoni as their second-choice player ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. Apart from retaining Ravindra Jadeja, Dhoni, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Moeen Ali, CSK also managed to get back a number of former players like Dwayne Bravo, Ambati Rayudu, Deepak Chahar and Robin Uthappa among others at the IPL 2022 mega auction to build a strong squad for the new season.

It was dream come true, can't forget that: Pakistan pacer Shahnawaz Dahani on meeting idol MS Dhoni

Ishan Kishan slammed a brilliant knock of 89 runs as India thrashed Sri Laka by 62 runs in the first T20I of the ongoing three-match series in Lucknow on Friday. The wicket-keeper batter was under significant pressure to bounce back after his poor run in the recently-concluded T20I series against West Indies. However, Kishan silenced his critics in style with a&nbsp;stunning knock.

After Sri Lanka won the toss and invited India to bat first in the series-opener, Kishan and skipper Rohit Sharma got the hosts off to a flyer. The duo went all out against the Sri Lankan bowlers to post a 111-run opening stand. While skipper Rohit continued his good form and scored 44 off 32 balls, Kishan went berserk and slammed 89 off 56 deliveries.

Kishan's swashbuckling knock was laced with ten fours and three sixes as he took the Sri Lankan bowlers to the cleaners. The young wicket-keeper batter missed out on scoring his maiden T20I hundred by just 11 runs but ended up creating a new record for the Men in Blue in T20Is.

With the help of his brilliant knock, Kishan surpassed MS Dhoni and Rishabh Pant to create the record for the highest individual score by an Indian wicket-keeper batter in T20Is. Pant held the record previously with the highest score of 65 runs in T20Is. While both Kishan and Rahul have played a number of matches as specialist batters in the Indian team, the list consists of their highest scores from matches where they also kept wickets for the team.

Highest individual scores by an Indian wicket-keeper in T20Is

Ishan Kishan- 89

Rishabh Pant- 65

KL Rahul- 57

MS Dhoni- 56

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With the help of Kishan's 89, and Shreyas Iyer's quickfire 28-ball 57, India managed to put on a strong total of 199 runs on the board in the first T20I against Sri Lanka on Thursday. In reply, Sri Lanka were restrrcited on 137/6 in 20 overs after a superb bowling effort from the hosts.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar continued his fine form with the ball as he picked up two wickets while conceding only 9 runs in two over, all-rounder Venkateh Iyer also contributed well and picked up a couple of wickets despite conceding 36 runs in his 3 overs.

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Ishan Kishan slammed a brilliant knock of 89 runs as India thrashed Sri Laka by 62 runs in the first T20I of the ongoing three-match series in Lucknow on Friday.

Ishan Kishan slammed a brilliant knock of 89 runs as India thrashed Sri Laka by 62 runs in the first T20I of the ongoing three-match series in Lucknow on Friday. The wicket-keeper batter was under significant pressure to bounce back after his poor run in the recently-concluded T20I series against West Indies. However, Kishan silenced his critics in style with a stunning knock. After Sri Lanka won the toss and invited India to bat first in the series-opener, Kishan and skipper Rohit Sharma got the hosts off to a flyer. The duo went all out against the Sri Lankan bowlers to post a 111-run opening stand. While skipper Rohit continued his good form and scored 44 off 32 balls, Kishan went berserk and slammed 89 off 56 deliveries. Kishan's swashbuckling knock was laced with ten fours and three sixes as he took the Sri Lankan bowlers to the cleaners. The young wicket-keeper batter missed out on scoring his maiden T20I hundred by just 11 runs but ended up creating a new record for the Men in Blue in T20Is. With the help of his brilliant knock, Kishan surpassed MS Dhoni and Rishabh Pant to create the record for the highest individual score by an Indian wicket-keeper batter in T20Is. Pant held the record previously with the highest score of 65 runs in T20Is. While both Kishan and Rahul have played a number of matches as specialist batters in the Indian team, the list consists of their highest scores from matches where they also kept wickets for the team. Highest individual scores by an Indian wicket-keeper in T20Is Ishan Kishan- 89 Rishabh Pant- 65 KL Rahul- 57 MS Dhoni- 56 Also Read: Wriddhiman Saha likely to be questioned by BCCI over breach of central contract clause: Report With the help of Kishan's 89, and Shreyas Iyer's quickfire 28-ball 57, India managed to put on a strong total of 199 runs on the board in the first T20I against Sri Lanka on Thursday. In reply, Sri Lanka were restrrcited on 137/6 in 20 overs after a superb bowling effort from the hosts. Bhuvneshwar Kumar continued his fine form with the ball as he picked up two wickets while conceding only 9 runs in two over, all-rounder Venkateh Iyer also contributed well and picked up a couple of wickets despite conceding 36 runs in his 3 overs.

Ishan Kishan surpasses MS Dhoni, Rishabh Pant to create new record for Team India in T20Is

Mithali Raj-led India women endured a forgettable run in the just-concluded five-match ODI series versus hosts New Zealand ahead of the ICC World Cup. While the visitors prevented a series whitewash, they weren't upto the mark in the first four games to lose the series 4-1.

Despite a big series loss, India had some players rising up to the challenge throughout the course of the five ODIs. Stumper Richa Ghosh, who is also part of India's squad for the upcoming Women's World Cup, stunned one and all with her range of shots during a scintillating 26-ball 50 (52) in the fourth and penultimate ODI.

The 18-year-old Richa's innings was filled with 4 fours and an equal number of sixes, at 179.31, as she made a strong statement before the mega event. Despite India falling short by 63 runs in pursuit of 192 in the rain-curtailed 20-over aside contest, Richa made heads turn and revealed MS Dhoni as her idol.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-smriti-mandhana-to-jhulan-goswami-5-players-who-hold-key-for-mithali-rajs-india-in-odi-world-cup-456081">From Smriti Mandhana to Jhulan Goswami: 5 players who hold key for Mithali Raj's India in ODI World Cup</a>

"It felt really great as it was my first 50. The last time I got out for 44 in Australia but here I was able to continue and reach half-century. I was really happy, and my parents were also elated by it as they called up to congratulate me after the knock," she told team skipper Mithali Raj in a post-match video on bcci.tv.

"During my childhood, I used to look up to my father. I used to practice with him at that time, so I was influenced by his aggressive batting approach. When I began watching matches of Team India, I started following MS Dhoni as I was impressed with his power-hitting abilities with the bat coupled with effective wicket-keeping behind the stumps. He is my idol,"&nbsp;Richa added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nz-v-ind-smriti-harman-mithalis-fifties-help-india-avoid-series-whitewash-win-5th-odi-by-6-wickets-455956">NZ v IND: Smriti, Harman, Mithali's fifties help India avoid series whitewash, win 5th ODI by 6 wickets</a>

"I think it was a very nice inning by her. I was in awe of her for the shots she played, the sixes she hit against the wind. They were the shots one could admire from the other end," skipper Mithali lauded Richa's knock.

On Thursday (February 24), Indian eves chased down a competitive 252-run target, by six wickets, to prevent a series whitewash versus the White Ferns before the commencement of the ODI World Cup, from March 04.

Mithali Raj-led India women endured a forgettable run in the just-concluded five-match ODI series versus hosts New Zealand ahead of the ICC World Cup. While the visitors prevented a series whitewash, they weren't upto the mark in the first four games to lose the series 4-1.

Mithali Raj-led India women endured a forgettable run in the just-concluded five-match ODI series versus hosts New Zealand ahead of the ICC World Cup. While the visitors prevented a series whitewash, they weren't upto the mark in the first four games to lose the series 4-1. Despite a big series loss, India had some players rising up to the challenge throughout the course of the five ODIs. Stumper Richa Ghosh, who is also part of India's squad for the upcoming Women's World Cup, stunned one and all with her range of shots during a scintillating 26-ball 50 (52) in the fourth and penultimate ODI. The 18-year-old Richa's innings was filled with 4 fours and an equal number of sixes, at 179.31, as she made a strong statement before the mega event. Despite India falling short by 63 runs in pursuit of 192 in the rain-curtailed 20-over aside contest, Richa made heads turn and revealed MS Dhoni as her idol. ALSO READ | From Smriti Mandhana to Jhulan Goswami: 5 players who hold key for Mithali Raj's India in ODI World Cup "It felt really great as it was my first 50. The last time I got out for 44 in Australia but here I was able to continue and reach half-century. I was really happy, and my parents were also elated by it as they called up to congratulate me after the knock," she told team skipper Mithali Raj in a post-match video on bcci.tv. "During my childhood, I used to look up to my father. I used to practice with him at that time, so I was influenced by his aggressive batting approach. When I began watching matches of Team India, I started following MS Dhoni as I was impressed with his power-hitting abilities with the bat coupled with effective wicket-keeping behind the stumps. He is my idol," Richa added. ALSO READ | NZ v IND: Smriti, Harman, Mithali's fifties help India avoid series whitewash, win 5th ODI by 6 wickets "I think it was a very nice inning by her. I was in awe of her for the shots she played, the sixes she hit against the wind. They were the shots one could admire from the other end," skipper Mithali lauded Richa's knock. On Thursday (February 24), Indian eves chased down a competitive 252-run target, by six wickets, to prevent a series whitewash versus the White Ferns before the commencement of the ODI World Cup, from March 04.

I started following MS Dhoni: India women's stumper Richa Ghosh lavishes huge praise on iconic player

Former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson recently gave his take on the captaincy styles of the legendary MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and current Indian captain Rohit Sharma. Watson believes all three captains are unique in their own way and have different leadership styles.

While Watson called Kohli a 'superhuman', the former all-rounder said MS Dhoni has got ice running through his veins and is incredibly calm as a captain. He also hailed Rohit as a natural leader and said he has grown in stature having captained a team like Mumbai Indians for so many years in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Waston, who played under Kohli for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL, praised the former India skipper for pushing the standards high for himself and his team. Watson said Kohli is superhuman to him and knows how to push players around him as well.

"Virat as a leader, has done incredible things, the way he has been able to push players, he has got such high expectations of himself and he brings that to every game he plays. For me, I believe Virat is superhuman, he knows how to push players around him. Virat is an incredibly good guy, he is a well-balanced character off the field, the knowledge he has is fascinating. It was a great experience for me to work with Virat at RCB," Watson said on the 'ICC Review'.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csks-most-expensive-signing-at-mega-auction-deepak-chahar-can-be-ruled-out-of-ipl-2022-report-455641">CSK's most expensive signing at mega auction Deepak Chahar can be ruled out of IPL 2022 - Report</a>

Even during the final lap of his career, Watson enjoyed tremendous success while playing under MS Dhoni for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL. Watson played for CSK for three seasons and played an instrumental role in taking them to two finals in 2018 and 2019. While Dhoni &amp; Co. won the title in 2018, they missed out on the trophy closely in 2019.

Giving insights about Dhoni's leadership qualities, Watson said Dhoni's ability to handle pressure situations and get the best out of his players has always fascinated him.

"MS Dhoni has got ice running through his veins, his ability to take the pressure out of a team environment, he trusts his players, he makes sure everyone has faith in their abilities. He knows what works for himself and the people around him. He trusts his instincts on the field, he trusts that players will do their research and do what is needed on the field," said the former Australian all-rounder.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-hasnt-apologised-or-got-in-touch-with-me-wriddhiman-saha-on-journalist-who-threatened-him-455602">He hasn't apologised or got in touch with me: Wriddhiman Saha on journalist who threatened him</a>

&nbsp;Talking about Rohit, who was appointed as India's captain across all formats last week, Watson said he is a natural leader and has experience of leading a top side like Mumbai Indians. Rohit is the most successful captain in IPL history with five titles to his name.

"He is such a natural and easy leader. I watched him closely leading the Mumbai Indians and nothing seemed to faze him. He goes about his work incredibly well, he has had experience leading teams as well, captaining a franchise like Mumbai in high-pressure situations. There is always a high expectation from Mumbai in the IPL," said Watson.

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Former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson recently gave his take on the captaincy styles of the legendary MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and current Indian captain Rohit Sharma.

Former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson recently gave his take on the captaincy styles of the legendary MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and current Indian captain Rohit Sharma. Watson believes all three captains are unique in their own way and have different leadership styles. While Watson called Kohli a 'superhuman', the former all-rounder said MS Dhoni has got ice running through his veins and is incredibly calm as a captain. He also hailed Rohit as a natural leader and said he has grown in stature having captained a team like Mumbai Indians for so many years in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Waston, who played under Kohli for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL, praised the former India skipper for pushing the standards high for himself and his team. Watson said Kohli is superhuman to him and knows how to push players around him as well. "Virat as a leader, has done incredible things, the way he has been able to push players, he has got such high expectations of himself and he brings that to every game he plays. For me, I believe Virat is superhuman, he knows how to push players around him. Virat is an incredibly good guy, he is a well-balanced character off the field, the knowledge he has is fascinating. It was a great experience for me to work with Virat at RCB," Watson said on the 'ICC Review'. Also Read: CSK's most expensive signing at mega auction Deepak Chahar can be ruled out of IPL 2022 - Report Even during the final lap of his career, Watson enjoyed tremendous success while playing under MS Dhoni for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL. Watson played for CSK for three seasons and played an instrumental role in taking them to two finals in 2018 and 2019. While Dhoni & Co. won the title in 2018, they missed out on the trophy closely in 2019. Giving insights about Dhoni's leadership qualities, Watson said Dhoni's ability to handle pressure situations and get the best out of his players has always fascinated him. "MS Dhoni has got ice running through his veins, his ability to take the pressure out of a team environment, he trusts his players, he makes sure everyone has faith in their abilities. He knows what works for himself and the people around him. He trusts his instincts on the field, he trusts that players will do their research and do what is needed on the field," said the former Australian all-rounder. Also Read: He hasn't apologised or got in touch with me: Wriddhiman Saha on journalist who threatened him Talking about Rohit, who was appointed as India's captain across all formats last week, Watson said he is a natural leader and has experience of leading a top side like Mumbai Indians. Rohit is the most successful captain in IPL history with five titles to his name. "He is such a natural and easy leader. I watched him closely leading the Mumbai Indians and nothing seemed to faze him. He goes about his work incredibly well, he has had experience leading teams as well, captaining a franchise like Mumbai in high-pressure situations. There is always a high expectation from Mumbai in the IPL," said Watson.

MS Dhoni has got ice running through his veins, Virat Kohli is a superhuman: Shane Watson

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) broke the bank to buy back Indian pacer Deepak Chahar at the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. Chahar, who has been an integral member of the CSK squad since joining the team in 2018, was released by the franchise ahead of the mega auction. However, CSK went all out to get him back and spent a whopping Rs 14 crore (INR 140 million) to ensure they secured his signing.

Chahar became the most expensive bowler at the IPL 2022 mega auction and also became CSK's most expensive auction signing of all time. While he has been excellent with the ball in the powerplay and has also improved his performances in the death, Chahar's batting prowess has added another dimension to his game.

While he is a smart bowler, Chahar can be handy with the bat in the lower middle-order and his recent performances with the willow have only strengthened his case as an all-rounder. Chahar recalled how CSK skipper MS Dhoni had asked him in 2020 to justify his batting potential in the IPL and focus more on batting.

In an interview with SportsYaari, Chahar said Dhoni was having a conversation with him on the day he had announced his retirement in 2020. The CSK skipper had urged Chahar to justify his batting potential.&nbsp;

"One day Mahi bhai said to me… 'you have done a good job with the bowling but haven't justified your batting. I think you should do that'. He told me this, the day he announced his retirement in 2020. We were sitting in the evening and talking. Dhoni said I should focus more on batting," said Chahar.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/never-spoke-to-ms-dhoni-about-retention-always-knew-csk-would-get-me-back-deepak-chahar-452977">Never spoke to MS Dhoni about retention, always knew CSK would get me back: Deepak Chahar</a>

Not many know but Chahar, who had played under Dhoni at the Rising Pune Supergiants was bouht by the franchise as a batting all-rounder. Chahar said he has been trying to become an all-rounder ever since he started playing cricket as a child and was probably a better bater than a bowler when he had joined the Rising Pune Supergiants.

"I have been batting since I was young and this pursuit of being an all-rounder had started back then itself. In 2017-18, I used to bat better because I was at home and so I used to practice batting a lot. In fact, I used to focus more on batting than bowling because there was a limit on the number of balls you would bowl in one day because doing more would take a toll on your body," said Chahar.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/deepak-chahar-to-liam-livingstone-5-players-who-earned-biggest-pay-rise-at-ipl-mega-auction-453828">Deepak Chahar to Liam Livingstone: 5 players who earned biggest pay rise at IPL mega auction</a>

"When I went to Pune (Rising Pune Supergiants), I reckon my batting was better than my bowling. But after that, when I started playing more, especially overseas, I didn’t get much chances to perform with the bat. The amount of practice would come down. Whenever I played First-Class, the main batters would get more time. Because of this, the fluency in my batting got affected," he added.

Since joining CSK in 2018, Chahar has improved much as a bowler and has also become a regular for India in white-ball cricket. He has so far played 58 matches for CSK in IPL and has 58 wickets to his name. Chahar has won two IPL titles with the Dhoni-led side and will be drawing a salary even bigger than that of his captain from IPL 2022.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) broke the bank to buy back Indian pacer Deepak Chahar at the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. Chahar, who has been an integral member of the CSK squad since joining the team in 2018, was released by the franchise ahead of the mega auction.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) broke the bank to buy back Indian pacer Deepak Chahar at the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. Chahar, who has been an integral member of the CSK squad since joining the team in 2018, was released by the franchise ahead of the mega auction. However, CSK went all out to get him back and spent a whopping Rs 14 crore (INR 140 million) to ensure they secured his signing. Chahar became the most expensive bowler at the IPL 2022 mega auction and also became CSK's most expensive auction signing of all time. While he has been excellent with the ball in the powerplay and has also improved his performances in the death, Chahar's batting prowess has added another dimension to his game. While he is a smart bowler, Chahar can be handy with the bat in the lower middle-order and his recent performances with the willow have only strengthened his case as an all-rounder. Chahar recalled how CSK skipper MS Dhoni had asked him in 2020 to justify his batting potential in the IPL and focus more on batting. In an interview with SportsYaari, Chahar said Dhoni was having a conversation with him on the day he had announced his retirement in 2020. The CSK skipper had urged Chahar to justify his batting potential. "One day Mahi bhai said to me… 'you have done a good job with the bowling but haven't justified your batting. I think you should do that'. He told me this, the day he announced his retirement in 2020. We were sitting in the evening and talking. Dhoni said I should focus more on batting," said Chahar. Also Read: Never spoke to MS Dhoni about retention, always knew CSK would get me back: Deepak Chahar Not many know but Chahar, who had played under Dhoni at the Rising Pune Supergiants was bouht by the franchise as a batting all-rounder. Chahar said he has been trying to become an all-rounder ever since he started playing cricket as a child and was probably a better bater than a bowler when he had joined the Rising Pune Supergiants. "I have been batting since I was young and this pursuit of being an all-rounder had started back then itself. In 2017-18, I used to bat better because I was at home and so I used to practice batting a lot. In fact, I used to focus more on batting than bowling because there was a limit on the number of balls you would bowl in one day because doing more would take a toll on your body," said Chahar. Also Read: Deepak Chahar to Liam Livingstone: 5 players who earned biggest pay rise at IPL mega auction "When I went to Pune (Rising Pune Supergiants), I reckon my batting was better than my bowling. But after that, when I started playing more, especially overseas, I didn’t get much chances to perform with the bat. The amount of practice would come down. Whenever I played First-Class, the main batters would get more time. Because of this, the fluency in my batting got affected," he added. Since joining CSK in 2018, Chahar has improved much as a bowler and has also become a regular for India in white-ball cricket. He has so far played 58 matches for CSK in IPL and has 58 wickets to his name. Chahar has won two IPL titles with the Dhoni-led side and will be drawing a salary even bigger than that of his captain from IPL 2022.

You haven't justified your batting: How MS Dhoni's advice helped Deepak Chahar revive his career as a batter

After the IPL mega auction, the focus has now shifted entirely on the forthcoming 15th edition of the cash-rich league. The IPL 2022 edition is set to be held entirely in India. BCCI had to host the IPL 2020 edition in the UAE, following the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic, whereas the Indian cricket board had to shift the second-half of last year's edition in the Middle East, due to the second wave of Covid-19, but the 15th season will be held in India.

As per a report in Sportstar, BCCI are likely to host the league across six venues. Five venues in Maharashtra have been 'zeroed in on' -- due avoid flight travel amid such testing times nationwide --&nbsp;whereas the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad will host the knockout games.

For the unversed, the IPL 15 season is set to welcome two new teams -- Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) -- as the number of games in the league will also increase. It will be a 70-match league stage followed by the playoffs (with the total being 74).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-jason-holder-to-tim-david-5-underrated-overseas-stars-who-fetched-big-fat-cheques-at-mega-auction-454108">From Jason Holder to Tim David: 5 underrated overseas stars who fetched big-fat cheques at mega auction</a>

The 15th season will be held in India from March 27 to May 28. The report further stated that the Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI are also keen on hosting a couple of games&nbsp;at Jio Stadium, Navi Mumbai. Meanwhile, the Wankhede Stadium, Brabourne Stadium, Dr. D.Y. Patil Sports Stadium, Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium (in Pune) will&nbsp;host the&nbsp;majority of games during&nbsp;the league stage.&nbsp;

The report has added that the apex cricket board is expected to share the detailed schedule of the forthcoming season by February-end.

The MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are the defending champions, having clinched the title for the fourth time during IPL 2021.

After the IPL mega auction, the focus has now shifted entirely on the forthcoming 15th edition of the cash-rich league. The IPL 2022 edition is set to be held entirely in India.

After the IPL mega auction, the focus has now shifted entirely on the forthcoming 15th edition of the cash-rich league. The IPL 2022 edition is set to be held entirely in India. BCCI had to host the IPL 2020 edition in the UAE, following the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic, whereas the Indian cricket board had to shift the second-half of last year's edition in the Middle East, due to the second wave of Covid-19, but the 15th season will be held in India. As per a report in Sportstar, BCCI are likely to host the league across six venues. Five venues in Maharashtra have been 'zeroed in on' -- due avoid flight travel amid such testing times nationwide -- whereas the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad will host the knockout games. For the unversed, the IPL 15 season is set to welcome two new teams -- Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) -- as the number of games in the league will also increase. It will be a 70-match league stage followed by the playoffs (with the total being 74). ALSO READ | From Jason Holder to Tim David: 5 underrated overseas stars who fetched big-fat cheques at mega auction The 15th season will be held in India from March 27 to May 28. The report further stated that the Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI are also keen on hosting a couple of games at Jio Stadium, Navi Mumbai. Meanwhile, the Wankhede Stadium, Brabourne Stadium, Dr. D.Y. Patil Sports Stadium, Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium (in Pune) will host the majority of games during the league stage. The report has added that the apex cricket board is expected to share the detailed schedule of the forthcoming season by February-end. The MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are the defending champions, having clinched the title for the fourth time during IPL 2021.

IPL 2022: BCCI likely to be host 15th edition across 6 venues from March 27 to May 28 - Report

In the IPL 2021 final, the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) faced two-time winners Eoin Morgan-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). In the summit clash, the Yellow Army rode on Faf du Plessis' 86, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Moeen Ali's cameos and Shardul Thakur-Josh Hazlewood's contributions with the ball to beat KKR by 27 runs, in defence of 193.

Talking about the KKR outfit, they were off to a forgettable start in the first leg of IPL 2021, in India. Being in the bottom-half, they revamped in style when the second and final leg kicked off in the UAE. Morgan &amp; Co. rode on Venkatesh Iyer, Shubman Gill, Rahul Tripathi, Varun Chakravarthy and few others to enter the finale, where they eventually lost to the Chennai-based franchise.

Recalling the finale, Tripathi -- who has now been sold to the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the IPL 2022 mega auction -- shared the chat he had with Dhoni after the game.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-deserves-every-penny-earned-at-ipl-mega-auction-sunil-gavaskar-lavishes-huge-praise-on-indian-star-454010">He deserves every penny earned at IPL mega auction: Sunil Gavaskar lavishes huge praise on Indian star</a>

“I had a hamstring injury and therefore, I came in lower down the order. I couldn’t score runs (2), I was really struggling to run between the wickets. After I got out, Mahi bhai tapped on my back and said: “Koi nai, aj tumhara day nahi tha, But tune hundred percent try kiya”(It wasn’t your day, but you gave your hundred percent). I was feeling very down since we lost the final, but Mahi bhai came after the game also and spoke to me for a minute or so," Tripathi told&nbsp;News18.

“I still remember when I was on my IPL debut, he (Dhoni) came and said, “jaise nets me khel rahe ho, bilkul waise hi khelo” (Play as you play in nets). He treats every player as his younger brother. He guided me throughout the tournament in 2017. Sometimes he scolded me as well. ‘Push hard….do this’. Like when I was playing for Rajasthan Royals and KKR, I used to consult him whenever I got time. “Kya kar rahe ho,”(What are you doing these days) he always used to ask me,” said the 30-year-old.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/deepak-chahar-to-liam-livingstone-5-players-who-earned-biggest-pay-rise-at-ipl-mega-auction-453828">Deepak Chahar to Liam Livingstone: 5 players who earned biggest pay rise at IPL mega auction</a>

At the recently-concluded mega auction, Tripathi made heads turn with as many as three franchises joining a bidding war for him. KKR tried their best to reclaim his services and were involved in an intense bidding clash with CSK and SRH before the right-hander was sold to the latter for INR 85 million (INR 8.5 crore).

Tripathi would hope to set the stage on fire for the Orange Army in the IPL 2022 edition.

In the IPL 2021 final, the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) faced two-time winners Eoin Morgan-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). In the summit clash, the Yellow Army rode on Faf du Plessis' 86, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Moeen Ali's cameos and Shardul Thakur-Josh Hazlewood's contributions with the ball to beat KKR by 27 runs, in defence of 193.

In the IPL 2021 final, the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) faced two-time winners Eoin Morgan-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). In the summit clash, the Yellow Army rode on Faf du Plessis' 86, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Moeen Ali's cameos and Shardul Thakur-Josh Hazlewood's contributions with the ball to beat KKR by 27 runs, in defence of 193. Talking about the KKR outfit, they were off to a forgettable start in the first leg of IPL 2021, in India. Being in the bottom-half, they revamped in style when the second and final leg kicked off in the UAE. Morgan & Co. rode on Venkatesh Iyer, Shubman Gill, Rahul Tripathi, Varun Chakravarthy and few others to enter the finale, where they eventually lost to the Chennai-based franchise. Recalling the finale, Tripathi -- who has now been sold to the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the IPL 2022 mega auction -- shared the chat he had with Dhoni after the game. ALSO READ | He deserves every penny earned at IPL mega auction: Sunil Gavaskar lavishes huge praise on Indian star “I had a hamstring injury and therefore, I came in lower down the order. I couldn’t score runs (2), I was really struggling to run between the wickets. After I got out, Mahi bhai tapped on my back and said: “Koi nai, aj tumhara day nahi tha, But tune hundred percent try kiya”(It wasn’t your day, but you gave your hundred percent). I was feeling very down since we lost the final, but Mahi bhai came after the game also and spoke to me for a minute or so," Tripathi told News18. “I still remember when I was on my IPL debut, he (Dhoni) came and said, “jaise nets me khel rahe ho, bilkul waise hi khelo” (Play as you play in nets). He treats every player as his younger brother. He guided me throughout the tournament in 2017. Sometimes he scolded me as well. ‘Push hard….do this’. Like when I was playing for Rajasthan Royals and KKR, I used to consult him whenever I got time. “Kya kar rahe ho,”(What are you doing these days) he always used to ask me,” said the 30-year-old. ALSO READ | Deepak Chahar to Liam Livingstone: 5 players who earned biggest pay rise at IPL mega auction At the recently-concluded mega auction, Tripathi made heads turn with as many as three franchises joining a bidding war for him. KKR tried their best to reclaim his services and were involved in an intense bidding clash with CSK and SRH before the right-hander was sold to the latter for INR 85 million (INR 8.5 crore). Tripathi would hope to set the stage on fire for the Orange Army in the IPL 2022 edition.

MS Dhoni tapped on my back: Ex-KKR star player recalls chat with CSK captain after IPL 2021 final

Former India batter Suresh Raina going unsold at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction has become one of the major talking points on social media. Raina, an IPL legend, and a loyal servant of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), was not picked by the franchise at the mega auction after a poor campaign last season.

Raina went unsold on the first day of the mega auction and was not included in the final list of players for the accelerated process as no teams asked for his name to go under the hammer once again on the second day.

Raina thus will be without a team for the first time in the history of the league. He has been one of the most successful batters over the years in the IPL and has been part of the tournament since its inception in 2008. He is the all-time leading run-getter for CSK in IPL and has played an instrumental role in the team's success over the years.

While many CSK fans are disappointed with the franchise for not getting Raina back in the squad at the IPL 2022 mega auction, some feel it was the right move considering the 35-year-old is way past his best and his form has only gone downhill in the last few years with injuries&nbsp;hampering his progress.

Former New Zealand cricketer and noted commentator Simon Doull recently gave his take on why CSK might have decided against going for Raina at the IPL 2022 mega auction. Doull believes Raina lost CSK and skipper MS Dhoni's loyalty in 2020 when he had pulled out of the season just days ahead of the start of the tournament in UAE.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/throwback-if-ms-dhoni-doesnt-play-ipl-2022-even-i-wont-when-suresh-raina-made-a-tall-claim-453492">'If MS Dhoni doesn't play IPL 2022, even I won't' - When Suresh Raina made a tall claim</a>

"There are 2 to 3 parts to it. He lost his loyalty in the UAE. We don't need to go into why that was but you know there's enough speculation about that, so he lost the loyalty. Of all the team, he lost the loyalty of MS Dhoni. So once you do that, you are very very unlikely to be welcomed back. He's not fit and he is scared of the short ball," Doull said on Cricbuzz.

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Raina had travelled to the UAE with the rest of the CSK squad ahead of the start of IPL 2020. However, he flew back home days before the tournament got underway due to personal reasons. There were reports of a rift between him and the team management while other reports suggested Raina went back home due to personal reasons. He missed the entire season as CSK failed to make it to the playoffs and finished seventh in IPL 2020.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/my-father-really-loved-ms-dhoni-i-wish-he-could-watch-me-play-for-csk-rajvardhan-hangargekar-453561">My father really loved MS Dhoni, I wish he could watch me play for CSK: Rajvardhan Hangargekar</a>

Raina returned to the squad for IPL 2021 and endured a disappointing campaign as he could score only 160 runs in 12 matches and missed the business end of the tournament due to a knee injury. No team bid for the IPL superstar at the IPL mega auction as the left-hander has not played any competitive cricket since retiring from international cricket in 2020.

&nbsp;

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Former India batter Suresh Raina going unsold at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction has become one of the major talking points on social media. Raina, an IPL legend, and a loyal servant of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), was not picked by the franchise at the mega auction after a poor campaign last season.

Former India batter Suresh Raina going unsold at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction has become one of the major talking points on social media. Raina, an IPL legend, and a loyal servant of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), was not picked by the franchise at the mega auction after a poor campaign last season. Raina went unsold on the first day of the mega auction and was not included in the final list of players for the accelerated process as no teams asked for his name to go under the hammer once again on the second day. Raina thus will be without a team for the first time in the history of the league. He has been one of the most successful batters over the years in the IPL and has been part of the tournament since its inception in 2008. He is the all-time leading run-getter for CSK in IPL and has played an instrumental role in the team's success over the years. While many CSK fans are disappointed with the franchise for not getting Raina back in the squad at the IPL 2022 mega auction, some feel it was the right move considering the 35-year-old is way past his best and his form has only gone downhill in the last few years with injuries hampering his progress. Former New Zealand cricketer and noted commentator Simon Doull recently gave his take on why CSK might have decided against going for Raina at the IPL 2022 mega auction. Doull believes Raina lost CSK and skipper MS Dhoni's loyalty in 2020 when he had pulled out of the season just days ahead of the start of the tournament in UAE. Also Read: 'If MS Dhoni doesn't play IPL 2022, even I won't' - When Suresh Raina made a tall claim "There are 2 to 3 parts to it. He lost his loyalty in the UAE. We don't need to go into why that was but you know there's enough speculation about that, so he lost the loyalty. Of all the team, he lost the loyalty of MS Dhoni. So once you do that, you are very very unlikely to be welcomed back. He's not fit and he is scared of the short ball," Doull said on Cricbuzz. Super Thanks for all the Yellove memories, Chinna Thala! #SuperkingForever pic.twitter.com/RgyjXHyl9l — Chennai Super Kings - Mask Pdu Whistle Pdu! (@ChennaiIPL) February 13, 2022 × Raina had travelled to the UAE with the rest of the CSK squad ahead of the start of IPL 2020. However, he flew back home days before the tournament got underway due to personal reasons. There were reports of a rift between him and the team management while other reports suggested Raina went back home due to personal reasons. He missed the entire season as CSK failed to make it to the playoffs and finished seventh in IPL 2020. Also Read: My father really loved MS Dhoni, I wish he could watch me play for CSK: Rajvardhan Hangargekar Raina returned to the squad for IPL 2021 and endured a disappointing campaign as he could score only 160 runs in 12 matches and missed the business end of the tournament due to a knee injury. No team bid for the IPL superstar at the IPL mega auction as the left-hander has not played any competitive cricket since retiring from international cricket in 2020.

Suresh Raina lost MS Dhoni's loyalty: Simon Doull explains why CSK didn't pick 'Mr IPL' at mega auction

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) made some shrewd buys at the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. While the four-time champions once again invested heavily on experienced and managed to get back a number of their former players back, they also roped in some of the talented Indian youngsters.

CSK bought India U-19 all-rounder Rajvardhan Hangargekar as well at the mega auction after beating Mumbai Indians to his signing for a sum of Rs 1.5 crore (INR 15 million). One of the heroes of India U-19's title-winning campaign in the ICC U-19 World Cup 2021, Hangargekar has seen a lot of hardships in life at a tender age but is well on his way to realising his dream of playing for India one day.

Hangargekar was only 17 when he lost his father to COVID-19 during the first lockdown in the year 2020. However, he showcased great determination and picked himself up amidst the misery to focus on what he loved - cricket. The youngster, who hails from the Osmanabad district of Maharashtra, carved out a pitch of his own to train and practice fast bowling on his farm at his village.

The 19-year-old, who recently lifted the U-19 World Cup trophy with the Yash Dhull-led Indian team, said he always knew what he wanted to do and that he had already decided his goals after his father's shocking demise. Hangargekar admitted it was a tough phase for him but he decided to go after his goals and work as hard as he could to make it to the India U-19 side.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/throwback-if-ms-dhoni-doesnt-play-ipl-2022-even-i-wont-when-suresh-raina-made-a-tall-claim-453492">Throwback!&nbsp;'If&nbsp;Dhoni doesn't play IPL 2022, even I won't' - When Suresh Raina made a tall claim</a>

"Tough phase for me [but I told myself], 'Okay, I have to accept what has happened but I can't just keep sitting and put myself in a bad frame of mind'. So I knew what I had to do. It was tough for me to go out there and practice again with the same intensity and all that. I had already decided my goals. I knew what I wanted to do,"&nbsp;Hangargekar told Cricbuzz.

An all-rounder, who can clock impressive pace and can also be a handy batter lower down the order, Hangargekar will get to learn from some of the best in the business at CSK, including captain MS Dhoni. The CSK skipper has made superstars out of several young cricketers in a stellar captaincy career spanning around 15 years.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/players-go-through-walls-for-dhoni-never-heard-anyone-say-they-didnt-like-playing-for-csk-aakash-chopra-453466">&nbsp;Players go through walls for Dhoni, never heard anyone say they didn't like playing for CSK:&nbsp;Chopra</a>

Hangargekar revealed his late father was a huge admirer of Dhoni - the skipper and the way he runs the game from behind the stumps. One of te most successful captains in the history of IPL, Dhoni has led CSK to four titles and a staggering nine finals since 2008. The India U-19 star said he is looking forward to playing for CSK and get to learn from Dhoni at the franchise.

"He was really good guy, he always wanted me to be an international player, I wish he was watching me playing for CSK, because he really loved the way Dhoni handled the game, he really loved how calm Dhoni is in tough situations, he was also a calm person in a lot of tough situations. I'm really keen to work with CSK and MS Dhoni," said&nbsp;Hangargekar.

&nbsp;

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) made some shrewd buys at the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. While the four-time champions once again invested heavily on experienced and managed to get back a number of their former players back, they also roped in some of the talented Indian youngsters.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) made some shrewd buys at the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. While the four-time champions once again invested heavily on experienced and managed to get back a number of their former players back, they also roped in some of the talented Indian youngsters. CSK bought India U-19 all-rounder Rajvardhan Hangargekar as well at the mega auction after beating Mumbai Indians to his signing for a sum of Rs 1.5 crore (INR 15 million). One of the heroes of India U-19's title-winning campaign in the ICC U-19 World Cup 2021, Hangargekar has seen a lot of hardships in life at a tender age but is well on his way to realising his dream of playing for India one day. Hangargekar was only 17 when he lost his father to COVID-19 during the first lockdown in the year 2020. However, he showcased great determination and picked himself up amidst the misery to focus on what he loved - cricket. The youngster, who hails from the Osmanabad district of Maharashtra, carved out a pitch of his own to train and practice fast bowling on his farm at his village. The 19-year-old, who recently lifted the U-19 World Cup trophy with the Yash Dhull-led Indian team, said he always knew what he wanted to do and that he had already decided his goals after his father's shocking demise. Hangargekar admitted it was a tough phase for him but he decided to go after his goals and work as hard as he could to make it to the India U-19 side. Also Read: Throwback! 'If Dhoni doesn't play IPL 2022, even I won't' - When Suresh Raina made a tall claim "Tough phase for me [but I told myself], 'Okay, I have to accept what has happened but I can't just keep sitting and put myself in a bad frame of mind'. So I knew what I had to do. It was tough for me to go out there and practice again with the same intensity and all that. I had already decided my goals. I knew what I wanted to do," Hangargekar told Cricbuzz. An all-rounder, who can clock impressive pace and can also be a handy batter lower down the order, Hangargekar will get to learn from some of the best in the business at CSK, including captain MS Dhoni. The CSK skipper has made superstars out of several young cricketers in a stellar captaincy career spanning around 15 years. Also Read: Players go through walls for Dhoni, never heard anyone say they didn't like playing for CSK: Chopra Hangargekar revealed his late father was a huge admirer of Dhoni - the skipper and the way he runs the game from behind the stumps. One of te most successful captains in the history of IPL, Dhoni has led CSK to four titles and a staggering nine finals since 2008. The India U-19 star said he is looking forward to playing for CSK and get to learn from Dhoni at the franchise. "He was really good guy, he always wanted me to be an international player, I wish he was watching me playing for CSK, because he really loved the way Dhoni handled the game, he really loved how calm Dhoni is in tough situations, he was also a calm person in a lot of tough situations. I'm really keen to work with CSK and MS Dhoni," said Hangargekar.

My father really loved MS Dhoni, I wish he could watch me play for CSK: Rajvardhan Hangargekar

The IPL 2022 mega auction was a successful event, held in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. During the two-day mega auction, as many as 590 players went under the hammer. While some big players attained whopping deals and were sold at a high price, few uncapped players or relatively inexperienced campaigners also fetched big fat cheques.

Nonetheless, some T20 stars didn't draw a single bid and went unsold. The likes of Suresh Raina, Shakib Al Hasan, Steve Smith, Adil Rashid, etc. went unsold. Raina's name surprised many as he is known as Mr. IPL and has been a vital cog of the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) since the tournament's inception in 2008, barring the two seasons in between when the Yellow Army was serving a suspension on account of spot-fixing scandal (in 2016 and 2017).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-did-look-a-little-scared-gavaskar-explains-why-suresh-raina-went-unsold-at-ipl-2022-mega-auction-453400">'He did look a little scared' - Gavaskar explains why Suresh Raina went unsold at IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

Raina has amassed 5,528 IPL runs -- fourth-highest overall in the tournament history -- and was part of CSK's title wins in 2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021. However, he managed only&nbsp;160 runs at an average of 17.77 in the last year's edition. Having a base price of INR 20 million (INR 2 crore) also didn't help the swashbuckling left-hander as he went unsold. CSK didn't retain him initially and also didn't bid for him, along with the other nine franchises.

As Raina went unsold, his big revelation on his IPL future, in 2021, is doing the rounds. In an interview with News 24 Sports, Raina had stated, “If Dhoni bhaai doesn’t play next season, I too won’t play. We’ve been playing since 2008 (for CSK)… if we win this year then I’ll convince him to play next year too…“I’ll try my best. If he will not play, then I don’t think I will play for any IPL team."

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Why yrr 😭💔<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SureshRaina?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SureshRaina</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRaina?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImRaina</a> <a href="https://t.co/FtGQuIO45o">pic.twitter.com/FtGQuIO45o</a>
— ABHISHEK BAMNAVAT 🇮🇳 (@CoverDrive001) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoverDrive001/status/1492884881839652867?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2022-top-5-players-who-failed-to-draw-a-single-bid-and-went-unsold-at-mega-auction-453287">IPL 2022 Unsold Players' List: Top 5 stars who failed to draw a single bid at mega auction</a>

Both Raina and Dhoni have been one of the most loved and successful pairs in world cricket. The duo have won India several games in the white-ball formats and remained a lethal force for the Yellow Army in IPL as well. It will be interesting to see if CSK include Raina in their coaching setup for IPL 2022 edition.&nbsp;

For now, Raina's IPL career is more or less over.

The IPL 2022 mega auction was a successful event, held in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. During the two-day mega auction, as many as 590 players went under the hammer.

The IPL 2022 mega auction was a successful event, held in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. During the two-day mega auction, as many as 590 players went under the hammer. While some big players attained whopping deals and were sold at a high price, few uncapped players or relatively inexperienced campaigners also fetched big fat cheques. Nonetheless, some T20 stars didn't draw a single bid and went unsold. The likes of Suresh Raina, Shakib Al Hasan, Steve Smith, Adil Rashid, etc. went unsold. Raina's name surprised many as he is known as Mr. IPL and has been a vital cog of the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) since the tournament's inception in 2008, barring the two seasons in between when the Yellow Army was serving a suspension on account of spot-fixing scandal (in 2016 and 2017). ALSO READ | 'He did look a little scared' - Gavaskar explains why Suresh Raina went unsold at IPL 2022 mega auction Raina has amassed 5,528 IPL runs -- fourth-highest overall in the tournament history -- and was part of CSK's title wins in 2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021. However, he managed only 160 runs at an average of 17.77 in the last year's edition. Having a base price of INR 20 million (INR 2 crore) also didn't help the swashbuckling left-hander as he went unsold. CSK didn't retain him initially and also didn't bid for him, along with the other nine franchises. As Raina went unsold, his big revelation on his IPL future, in 2021, is doing the rounds. In an interview with News 24 Sports, Raina had stated, “If Dhoni bhaai doesn’t play next season, I too won’t play. We’ve been playing since 2008 (for CSK)… if we win this year then I’ll convince him to play next year too…“I’ll try my best. If he will not play, then I don’t think I will play for any IPL team." Why yrr 😭💔#SureshRaina | @ImRaina pic.twitter.com/FtGQuIO45o — ABHISHEK BAMNAVAT 🇮🇳 (@CoverDrive001) February 13, 2022 × ALSO READ | IPL 2022 Unsold Players' List: Top 5 stars who failed to draw a single bid at mega auction Both Raina and Dhoni have been one of the most loved and successful pairs in world cricket. The duo have won India several games in the white-ball formats and remained a lethal force for the Yellow Army in IPL as well. It will be interesting to see if CSK include Raina in their coaching setup for IPL 2022 edition. For now, Raina's IPL career is more or less over.

Throwback: 'If MS Dhoni doesn't play IPL 2022, even I won't' - When Suresh Raina made a tall claim

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have been one of the most successful teams in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). With four IPL titles and nine final appearances to their name, CSK have been a force to reckon with under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, who has led the side in all twelve seasons that they have been part of the competition so far.

From the 2018 season when CSK made their return to the IPL after a two-year ban, they have focused on building their squad around a core group of experienced players and have also enjoyed tremendous success. In the recently-concluded IPL 2022 mega auction, CSK once again stuck with the same&nbsp;philosophy.

They managed to get back a number of their former players including the likes of Dwayne Bravo, Robin Uthappa and Ambati Rayudu despite all of them being on the wrong side of their 30s. While CSK have been often mocked as the 'Dad's Army' for having many old players in their squad, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has hailed the four-time champions for believing in and sticking to&nbsp;their philosophy.

Chopra, a cricketer-turned commentator also lauded Dhoni for his terrific leadership qualities and explained how the CSK skipper commands a lot of respect among the players. Chopra said CSK players are ready to go through the walls for their captain and he has never heard any player say that they didn't like playing for the Dhoni-led side in the IPL.

“Many people say that CSK is Dad’s Army or Grand Dad’s Army, but they are not. CSK follows a philosophy. The philosophy is that they always try to bring their players back. CSK is a franchise where I have never heard a player saying that they did not like playing. Players go through walls for MS Dhoni and the franchise. They tried to go for all their players in the auction," Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-did-look-a-little-scared-gavaskar-explains-why-suresh-raina-went-unsold-at-ipl-2022-mega-auction-453400">'He did look a little scared' - Gavaskar explains why Suresh Raina went unsold at IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

Apart from Rayudu, Uthappa and Bravo, CSK also managed to get back Indian pacer Deepak Chahar, who they went all out for and spent a whopping Rs 14 crore (INR 140 million) to secure his services once again. However, the franchise did miss out on the likes of Faf du Plessis, Shardul Thakur and Josh Hazlewood among others.

While Chopra believes CSK have managed to rope in a strong squad with a great mix of experience and youth, he feels death bowling will be their biggest concern heading into the new season. However, Chopra insisted Dhoni will not be losing sleep over the death bowling concerns in the squad.

“If you look through a lens, you may find that death bowling may be a concern. They didn’t get Josh Hazlewood; he used to bowl at the death. Bravo is not the same as before. Chahar and Milne are your new-ball bowlers. That’s the only potential weakness I can see. But it won’t worry MS Dhoni at all. He’s not going to lose his sleep over this," said Chopra.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/it-was-difficult-but-csk-reveals-why-suresh-raina-wasnt-picked-during-ipl-2022-mega-auction-453327">'It was difficult, but...': CSK reveals why Suresh Raina wasn't picked during IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

CSK squad for IPL 2022:

Chennai Super Kings (CSK): MS Dhoni, Moeen Ali, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Ambati Rayudu, Dwayne Bravo, Robin Uthappa, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Tushar Deshpande, Shivam Dube, Maheesh Theekshana, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Simarjeet Singh, Devon Conway, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Subhranshu Senapati, Mukesh Choudhary, Prashant Solanki, C Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Chris Jordan, K Bhagath Varma

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have been one of the most successful teams in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). With four IPL titles and nine final appearances to their name, CSK have been a force to reckon with under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, who has led the side in all twelve seasons that they have been part of the competition so far.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have been one of the most successful teams in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). With four IPL titles and nine final appearances to their name, CSK have been a force to reckon with under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, who has led the side in all twelve seasons that they have been part of the competition so far. From the 2018 season when CSK made their return to the IPL after a two-year ban, they have focused on building their squad around a core group of experienced players and have also enjoyed tremendous success. In the recently-concluded IPL 2022 mega auction, CSK once again stuck with the same philosophy. They managed to get back a number of their former players including the likes of Dwayne Bravo, Robin Uthappa and Ambati Rayudu despite all of them being on the wrong side of their 30s. While CSK have been often mocked as the 'Dad's Army' for having many old players in their squad, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has hailed the four-time champions for believing in and sticking to their philosophy. Chopra, a cricketer-turned commentator also lauded Dhoni for his terrific leadership qualities and explained how the CSK skipper commands a lot of respect among the players. Chopra said CSK players are ready to go through the walls for their captain and he has never heard any player say that they didn't like playing for the Dhoni-led side in the IPL. “Many people say that CSK is Dad’s Army or Grand Dad’s Army, but they are not. CSK follows a philosophy. The philosophy is that they always try to bring their players back. CSK is a franchise where I have never heard a player saying that they did not like playing. Players go through walls for MS Dhoni and the franchise. They tried to go for all their players in the auction," Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel. Also Read: 'He did look a little scared' - Gavaskar explains why Suresh Raina went unsold at IPL 2022 mega auction Apart from Rayudu, Uthappa and Bravo, CSK also managed to get back Indian pacer Deepak Chahar, who they went all out for and spent a whopping Rs 14 crore (INR 140 million) to secure his services once again. However, the franchise did miss out on the likes of Faf du Plessis, Shardul Thakur and Josh Hazlewood among others. While Chopra believes CSK have managed to rope in a strong squad with a great mix of experience and youth, he feels death bowling will be their biggest concern heading into the new season. However, Chopra insisted Dhoni will not be losing sleep over the death bowling concerns in the squad. “If you look through a lens, you may find that death bowling may be a concern. They didn’t get Josh Hazlewood; he used to bowl at the death. Bravo is not the same as before. Chahar and Milne are your new-ball bowlers. That’s the only potential weakness I can see. But it won’t worry MS Dhoni at all. He’s not going to lose his sleep over this," said Chopra. Also Read: 'It was difficult, but...': CSK reveals why Suresh Raina wasn't picked during IPL 2022 mega auction CSK squad for IPL 2022: Chennai Super Kings (CSK): MS Dhoni, Moeen Ali, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Ambati Rayudu, Dwayne Bravo, Robin Uthappa, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Tushar Deshpande, Shivam Dube, Maheesh Theekshana, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Simarjeet Singh, Devon Conway, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Subhranshu Senapati, Mukesh Choudhary, Prashant Solanki, C Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Chris Jordan, K Bhagath Varma

Players go through walls for Dhoni, never heard anyone say they didn't like playing for CSK: Aakash Chopra

The IPL 2022 mega auction was a star-studded event, which took place on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru. As many as 590 players went under the hammer. The ten IPL franchises put on their thinking caps and displayed their smart buying skills ahead of the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition, set to be held in India in March-May.&nbsp;

While a number of star players got whopping deals, some big names in T20 cricket went unsold. Suresh Raina, Shakib Al Hasan, Eoin Morgan, Aaron Finch, Steve Smith, Adil Rashid, etc. featured in the unsold list after the end of auction proceedings. Talking about Raina, known as Mr. IPL, the swashbuckling left-hander's name failed to draw a single bid despite his resounding success in the tournament.

Raina has amassed 5,528 runs -- fourth-highest overall -- in IPL history and has been a vital cog of MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK). He was part of the Yellow Army's title runs in 2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021. However, he finished with only 161 runs in the previous edition, at an average of 17.77. Thus, CSK didn't retain him and also didn't bid for him whereas no other franchise showed interest in him.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2022-top-5-players-who-failed-to-draw-a-single-bid-and-went-unsold-at-mega-auction-453287">IPL 2022 Unsold Players' List: Top 5 stars who failed to draw a single bid at mega auction</a>

Explaining the reason for Raina's possible snub at the IPL 2022 mega auction, Little Master Sunil Gavaskar told on Sports Tak, "For Raina I was definitely surprised. He is left-handed, does off-spin bowling, and is experienced. In the last season, in the Dubai pitches, where there is a lot of bounce, he did look a little scared and this why I feel people must have felt that even in India we will have fast bowlers and so may be he wasn't picked for that reason. But only the franchises could tell us why they had this feeling about him."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/suresh-raina-mentions-why-team-india-struggled-in-2021-t20-wc-and-tasted-success-between-2007-13-453238">Suresh Raina explains why India struggled in 2021 T20 WC, opines on team's success between 2007-13</a>

On the other hand, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan opined on Raina's omission and told on the franchise's YouTube channel, "Raina has been one of the most consistent performers for CSK for the last 12 years. Of course, it was very difficult for us, no to have Raina but at the same time, you should also understand that the team composition depends on the form and kind of which any team would like to have so that’s one of the reasons why we thought he may not fit into this team."

The IPL 2022 mega auction was a star-studded event, which took place on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru. As many as 590 players went under the hammer. The ten IPL franchises put on their thinking caps and displayed their smart buying skills ahead of the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition, set to be held in India in March-May.

The IPL 2022 mega auction was a star-studded event, which took place on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru. As many as 590 players went under the hammer. The ten IPL franchises put on their thinking caps and displayed their smart buying skills ahead of the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition, set to be held in India in March-May. While a number of star players got whopping deals, some big names in T20 cricket went unsold. Suresh Raina, Shakib Al Hasan, Eoin Morgan, Aaron Finch, Steve Smith, Adil Rashid, etc. featured in the unsold list after the end of auction proceedings. Talking about Raina, known as Mr. IPL, the swashbuckling left-hander's name failed to draw a single bid despite his resounding success in the tournament. Raina has amassed 5,528 runs -- fourth-highest overall -- in IPL history and has been a vital cog of MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK). He was part of the Yellow Army's title runs in 2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021. However, he finished with only 161 runs in the previous edition, at an average of 17.77. Thus, CSK didn't retain him and also didn't bid for him whereas no other franchise showed interest in him. ALSO READ | IPL 2022 Unsold Players' List: Top 5 stars who failed to draw a single bid at mega auction Explaining the reason for Raina's possible snub at the IPL 2022 mega auction, Little Master Sunil Gavaskar told on Sports Tak, "For Raina I was definitely surprised. He is left-handed, does off-spin bowling, and is experienced. In the last season, in the Dubai pitches, where there is a lot of bounce, he did look a little scared and this why I feel people must have felt that even in India we will have fast bowlers and so may be he wasn't picked for that reason. But only the franchises could tell us why they had this feeling about him." ALSO READ | Suresh Raina explains why India struggled in 2021 T20 WC, opines on team's success between 2007-13 On the other hand, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan opined on Raina's omission and told on the franchise's YouTube channel, "Raina has been one of the most consistent performers for CSK for the last 12 years. Of course, it was very difficult for us, no to have Raina but at the same time, you should also understand that the team composition depends on the form and kind of which any team would like to have so that’s one of the reasons why we thought he may not fit into this team."

'He did look a little scared' - Gavaskar explains why Suresh Raina went unsold at IPL 2022 mega auction

MS Dhoni remains a big name in world cricket. The 40-year-old remains active in the Indian Premier League (IPL) despite announcing his international retirement on August 15, 2020. The former Indian captain signed off from the highest level as one of the most successful wicketkeeper-batsmen of all time, amassing 17,266 runs, 16 tons, 108 half-centuries alongside&nbsp;claiming 634 catches and 195 stumpings.&nbsp;

Apart from his staggering numbers at the international level, Dhoni has always remained a down-to-earth person, adding more fans worldwide with his simplicity and humility. A fine example of his simplicity was on display when the former keeper-batter ditched the luxuries of a flight journey and travelled with his Jharkhand One-Day side by train, from Ranchi to Howrah, to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy in Kolkata in early 2017.

Dhoni rolled back the clock to his days of struggle, in the early 2000s, when he was posted as a ticket inspector in Kharagpur, to travel in second-tier AC of 18616 Kriya Yoga Express along with his state teammates.&nbsp;

Back then, it was Dhoni's first travel in train after 13 long years. On the occasion, Dhoni seemed very relaxed and content. He had&nbsp;also taken to his official Instagram handle to share a picture with his team members from their train journey in 2017. Here's the post:

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<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BQy-rJPjxet/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by M S Dhoni (@mahi7781)</a>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhonis-csk-pay-heartfelt-tribute-to-suresh-raina-as-star-player-goes-unsold-at-ipl-2022-mega-auction-453185">MS Dhoni's CSK pay heartfelt tribute to Suresh Raina as star player goes unsold at IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

"They (Jharkhand) did not have a special coach reserved for them and Dhoni travelled with his team and other co-passengers in 2AC. They had a block booking for 23 passengers including Dhoni," South Eastern Railway chief public relations officer Sanjoy Ghosh had then said.&nbsp;

"We had a prior information about this and so we had arranged special security when they boarded in Ranchi last night and upon their arrival this morning in Howrah," Ghosh said. "Railway is India's lifeline and everyone travels by train at some point. It's Dhoni's greatness that he opted to take train and be with his wards instead of flying," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chennai-super-kings-complete-squad-for-ipl-2022-deepak-chahar-most-expensive-in-raina-less-line-up-453033">Chennai Super Kings complete squad for IPL 2022: Deepak Chahar most expensive in Raina-less line-up</a>

For the unversed, Dhoni was employed by SER as a TTE from September 2001 till July 2004 in Kharagpur; something which was&nbsp;very well-documented in&nbsp;his superhit biopic 'MS Dhoni The Untold Story' (released in 2016).

At present, Dhoni is gearing up to lead the defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition, set to be held in India in late March. The Yellow Army have revamped and built a strong squad in the just-concluded two-day IPL 2022 mega auction, in Bengaluru.

MS Dhoni remains a big name in world cricket. The 40-year-old remains active in the Indian Premier League (IPL) despite announcing his international retirement on August 15, 2020.

MS Dhoni remains a big name in world cricket. The 40-year-old remains active in the Indian Premier League (IPL) despite announcing his international retirement on August 15, 2020. The former Indian captain signed off from the highest level as one of the most successful wicketkeeper-batsmen of all time, amassing 17,266 runs, 16 tons, 108 half-centuries alongside claiming 634 catches and 195 stumpings. Apart from his staggering numbers at the international level, Dhoni has always remained a down-to-earth person, adding more fans worldwide with his simplicity and humility. A fine example of his simplicity was on display when the former keeper-batter ditched the luxuries of a flight journey and travelled with his Jharkhand One-Day side by train, from Ranchi to Howrah, to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy in Kolkata in early 2017. Dhoni rolled back the clock to his days of struggle, in the early 2000s, when he was posted as a ticket inspector in Kharagpur, to travel in second-tier AC of 18616 Kriya Yoga Express along with his state teammates. Back then, it was Dhoni's first travel in train after 13 long years. On the occasion, Dhoni seemed very relaxed and content. He had also taken to his official Instagram handle to share a picture with his team members from their train journey in 2017. Here's the post: View this post on Instagram A post shared by M S Dhoni (@mahi7781) × ALSO READ | MS Dhoni's CSK pay heartfelt tribute to Suresh Raina as star player goes unsold at IPL 2022 mega auction "They (Jharkhand) did not have a special coach reserved for them and Dhoni travelled with his team and other co-passengers in 2AC. They had a block booking for 23 passengers including Dhoni," South Eastern Railway chief public relations officer Sanjoy Ghosh had then said. "We had a prior information about this and so we had arranged special security when they boarded in Ranchi last night and upon their arrival this morning in Howrah," Ghosh said. "Railway is India's lifeline and everyone travels by train at some point. It's Dhoni's greatness that he opted to take train and be with his wards instead of flying," he added. ALSO READ | Chennai Super Kings complete squad for IPL 2022: Deepak Chahar most expensive in Raina-less line-up For the unversed, Dhoni was employed by SER as a TTE from September 2001 till July 2004 in Kharagpur; something which was very well-documented in his superhit biopic 'MS Dhoni The Untold Story' (released in 2016). At present, Dhoni is gearing up to lead the defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition, set to be held in India in late March. The Yellow Army have revamped and built a strong squad in the just-concluded two-day IPL 2022 mega auction, in Bengaluru.

THROWBACK: When MS Dhoni showed his simplicity by travelling with Jharkhand players in train - See pic

The IPL 2022 mega auction was a successful two-day event, held in Bengaluru. While many marquee and uncapped players fetched whopping deals, some big names also went unsold. The likes of&nbsp;Suresh Raina, Adil Rashid, Imran Tahir, Shakib Al Hasan were part of the unsold list.

Talking about Raina, known as Mr. IPL, made heads turn by not getting any deal from a new franchise whereas he wasn't&nbsp;even re-signed by the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) setup. Having been a stalwart for the four-time champions, with most runs for the franchise&nbsp;and fourth-highest runs in IPL&nbsp;overall (5,528 runs), Raina didn't have a great run in CSK's title win in IPL 2021. He returned with only&nbsp;160 runs at an average of 17.77. Thus, it played a part in his omission.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-stalwart-suresh-raina-goes-unsold-at-ipl-2022-mega-auction-452593">CSK stalwart Suresh Raina goes UNSOLD at IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

The Yellow Army, thus, took to Twitter and thanked its 'Chinna Thala' for his overall contributions after overlooking him at the mega auction. "Super Thanks for all the Yellove memories, Chinna Thala!&nbsp;#SuperkingForever," the four-time champions tweeted.

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Super Thanks for all the Yellove memories, Chinna Thala!🥺 
 
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SuperkingForever?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SuperkingForever</a> 🦁 <a href="https://t.co/RgyjXHyl9l">pic.twitter.com/RgyjXHyl9l</a>
— Chennai Super Kings - Mask P😷du Whistle P🥳du! (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1492887458287030286?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chennai-super-kings-complete-squad-for-ipl-2022-deepak-chahar-most-expensive-in-raina-less-line-up-453033">Chennai Super Kings complete squad for IPL 2022: Deepak Chahar most expensive in Raina-less line-up</a>

Coming to the auction, CSK brought back the likes of Deepak Chahar, Dwayne Bravo, Ambati Rayudu, Mitchell Santner and Robin Uthappa. They also invested in a host of uncapped players and signed overseas stars such as Devon Conway, Dwaine Pretorious, Chris Jordan and Adam Milne. Shivam Dube was also roped in by the franchise on Day 2 of the mega auction in Bengaluru.

Complete squad for Dhoni-led CSK for IPL 2022:

Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c &amp; wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Devon Conway, Subhranshu Senapati, Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Simarjeet Singh, Adam Milne, Mukesh Choudhary, Dwayne Bravo, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Prashant Solanki

Remaining purse: INR 29.5 million

The IPL 2022 mega auction was a successful two-day event, held in Bengaluru. While many marquee and uncapped players fetched whopping deals, some big names also went unsold.

The IPL 2022 mega auction was a successful two-day event, held in Bengaluru. While many marquee and uncapped players fetched whopping deals, some big names also went unsold. The likes of Suresh Raina, Adil Rashid, Imran Tahir, Shakib Al Hasan were part of the unsold list. Talking about Raina, known as Mr. IPL, made heads turn by not getting any deal from a new franchise whereas he wasn't even re-signed by the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) setup. Having been a stalwart for the four-time champions, with most runs for the franchise and fourth-highest runs in IPL overall (5,528 runs), Raina didn't have a great run in CSK's title win in IPL 2021. He returned with only 160 runs at an average of 17.77. Thus, it played a part in his omission. ALSO READ | CSK stalwart Suresh Raina goes UNSOLD at IPL 2022 mega auction The Yellow Army, thus, took to Twitter and thanked its 'Chinna Thala' for his overall contributions after overlooking him at the mega auction. "Super Thanks for all the Yellove memories, Chinna Thala! #SuperkingForever," the four-time champions tweeted. Super Thanks for all the Yellove memories, Chinna Thala!🥺 #SuperkingForever 🦁 pic.twitter.com/RgyjXHyl9l — Chennai Super Kings - Mask P😷du Whistle P🥳du! (@ChennaiIPL) February 13, 2022 × ALSO READ | Chennai Super Kings complete squad for IPL 2022: Deepak Chahar most expensive in Raina-less line-up Coming to the auction, CSK brought back the likes of Deepak Chahar, Dwayne Bravo, Ambati Rayudu, Mitchell Santner and Robin Uthappa. They also invested in a host of uncapped players and signed overseas stars such as Devon Conway, Dwaine Pretorious, Chris Jordan and Adam Milne. Shivam Dube was also roped in by the franchise on Day 2 of the mega auction in Bengaluru. Complete squad for Dhoni-led CSK for IPL 2022: Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Devon Conway, Subhranshu Senapati, Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Simarjeet Singh, Adam Milne, Mukesh Choudhary, Dwayne Bravo, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Prashant Solanki Remaining purse: INR 29.5 million

MS Dhoni's CSK pay heartfelt tribute to Suresh Raina as star player goes unsold at IPL 2022 mega auction

The IPL 2022 mega auction came to an end on Sunday evening (February 13). The two-day affair made the headlines as it saw many big players being sold for a whopping sum whereas some known faces went unsold. The domestic and relatively inexperienced campaigners also found some takers in the mega auction ahead of the IPL 2022 season.&nbsp;

The IPL 2021 champions and four-time winners MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) came into the mega auction with INR 480 million (INR 48 crore) in their purse. They had retained the likes of Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Moeen Ali. In the mega auction, CSK did miss out on signing&nbsp;or resigning&nbsp;some big names. However, they bought back fast-bowling all-rounders Deepak Chahar (INR 140 million), Dwayne Bravo, opener Robin Uthappa (INR 20 million), versatile batter Ambati Rayudu (INR 67.5 million)&nbsp;and spin-bowling all-rounder Mitchell Santner.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mumbai-indians-complete-squad-for-ipl-2022-ishan-kishan-jofra-archer-top-buys-for-rohit-sharma-co-453026">Mumbai Indians complete squad for IPL 2022: Ishan Kishan, Jofra Archer top buys for Rohit Sharma &amp; Co.</a>

Among the new buys, the Yellow Army roped in New Zealand opener Devon Conway (INR 10 million),&nbsp;acquired the services of Proteas all-rounder Dwaine Pretorious (INR 5 million) and went hard to add some unknown players as well -- such as Tushar Despande (INR 2 million), Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Maheesh Theekshana, Subhranshu Senapati, Mukesh Choudhary, Bhagat Varma, Prashant Solanki and C Hari Nishaanth -- to bolster their bench strength.&nbsp;

Among the big misses, CSK didn't go strongly after the likes of Ishan Kishan, David Warner, or pacer Kagiso Rabada and failed to re-sign Shardul Thakur and Faf du Plessis. The biggest name missing in their line-up is Chinna Thala Suresh Raina, also known as Mr. IPL. Raina has represented CSK since the tournament's inception, after playing for now-defunct Gujarat Lions (GL) in 2016 and 2017 editions, but saw his stocks going down considerably since 2018 to be left out.

CSK have considerably strengthened their all-round department with as many as over five players in the mix. Shivam Dube, who has joined the Dhoni-led brigade for INR 40 million (INR 4 crore), will add to their batting. On the other hand, Kiwi speedster Adam Milne (INR 19 million) and England's death-overs specialist Chris Jordan (INR 36 million) will also like to replicate ex-CSK pacers'&nbsp;success in the upcoming 2022 season.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nothing-more-dangerous-twitter-explodes-as-mi-include-jofra-archer-in-jasprit-bumrah-starrer-pace-attack-452996">Nothing more dangerous: Twitter explodes as MI include Jofra Archer in Jasprit Bumrah-starrer pace attack</a>

Complete squad for Dhoni-led CSK for IPL 2022:

Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c &amp; wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Devon Conway, Subhranshu Senapati, Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Simarjeet Singh, Adam Milne, Mukesh Choudhary, Dwayne Bravo, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Prashant Solanki

Remaining purse: INR 29.5 million

The IPL 2022 mega auction came to an end on Sunday evening (February 13). The two-day affair made the headlines as it saw many big players being sold for a whopping sum whereas some known faces went unsold.

The IPL 2022 mega auction came to an end on Sunday evening (February 13). The two-day affair made the headlines as it saw many big players being sold for a whopping sum whereas some known faces went unsold. The domestic and relatively inexperienced campaigners also found some takers in the mega auction ahead of the IPL 2022 season. The IPL 2021 champions and four-time winners MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) came into the mega auction with INR 480 million (INR 48 crore) in their purse. They had retained the likes of Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Moeen Ali. In the mega auction, CSK did miss out on signing or resigning some big names. However, they bought back fast-bowling all-rounders Deepak Chahar (INR 140 million), Dwayne Bravo, opener Robin Uthappa (INR 20 million), versatile batter Ambati Rayudu (INR 67.5 million) and spin-bowling all-rounder Mitchell Santner. ALSO READ | Mumbai Indians complete squad for IPL 2022: Ishan Kishan, Jofra Archer top buys for Rohit Sharma & Co. Among the new buys, the Yellow Army roped in New Zealand opener Devon Conway (INR 10 million), acquired the services of Proteas all-rounder Dwaine Pretorious (INR 5 million) and went hard to add some unknown players as well -- such as Tushar Despande (INR 2 million), Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Maheesh Theekshana, Subhranshu Senapati, Mukesh Choudhary, Bhagat Varma, Prashant Solanki and C Hari Nishaanth -- to bolster their bench strength. Among the big misses, CSK didn't go strongly after the likes of Ishan Kishan, David Warner, or pacer Kagiso Rabada and failed to re-sign Shardul Thakur and Faf du Plessis. The biggest name missing in their line-up is Chinna Thala Suresh Raina, also known as Mr. IPL. Raina has represented CSK since the tournament's inception, after playing for now-defunct Gujarat Lions (GL) in 2016 and 2017 editions, but saw his stocks going down considerably since 2018 to be left out. CSK have considerably strengthened their all-round department with as many as over five players in the mix. Shivam Dube, who has joined the Dhoni-led brigade for INR 40 million (INR 4 crore), will add to their batting. On the other hand, Kiwi speedster Adam Milne (INR 19 million) and England's death-overs specialist Chris Jordan (INR 36 million) will also like to replicate ex-CSK pacers' success in the upcoming 2022 season. ALSO READ | Nothing more dangerous: Twitter explodes as MI include Jofra Archer in Jasprit Bumrah-starrer pace attack Complete squad for Dhoni-led CSK for IPL 2022: Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Devon Conway, Subhranshu Senapati, Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Simarjeet Singh, Adam Milne, Mukesh Choudhary, Dwayne Bravo, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Prashant Solanki Remaining purse: INR 29.5 million

Chennai Super Kings complete squad for IPL 2022: Deepak Chahar most expensive in Raina-less line-up

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) broke the bank as they went all out to get back Indian pacer Deepak Chahar at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction on Saturday (February 12). CSK spent a record-breaking amount of Rs 14 crore (INR 140 million) to make Chahar their most expensive pick in the history of IPL auction.

Chahar, who has been an integral member of the CSK squad since joining the four-time champions in 2018, said he was always confident of getting picked by the Men in Yellow. Chahar, however, insisted he never spoke with the team management or CSK skipper MS Dhoni about being retained by the franchise ahead of the ongoing IPL 2022 mega auction.

Chahar was released by CSK ahead of the mega auction as the franchise decided to retain Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali and Ruturaj Gaikwad. However, he was bought back by the Dhoni-led side, who went all out to ensure no other team could match their bid for the Indian pacer.

"I am really happy to be back in Chennai Super Kings. I don't think there will be any difference. When I go back, I will be seeing the same faces over the last 4 years, maybe over the last 6 years because I was with the Pune side and half the players were there. I could not have asked for a better auction than this," Chahar told Star Sports on Sunday.

Chahar has been one of the reliable bowlers for Dhoni at CSK and has been used as a major weapon in the powerplay by the CSK skipper. Chahar has been brilliant with the new ball and has more often than not provided CSK with important breakthroughs up top. He has so far played 63 IPL matches and has 59 wickets to his name.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/insane-csk-make-deepak-chahar-their-most-expensive-ipl-signing-of-all-time-at-rs-14-crore-452710">Insane! CSK make Deepak Chahar their most expensive IPL signing of all time at Rs 14 crore</a>

While Chahar revealed he never had any discussion with Dhoni or the CSK management about being retained, he recalled an incident from 2018 when CSK owner N Srinivasan had assured him that he will always play for CSK.

"I took his word that day and after that, I have never spoken about retention or anything. Before the auction also, I didn't speak anything. I knew that CSK would pick me," Chahar said.

Apart from bringing Chahar back in the side, CSK also managed to rope in a number of former players like Dwayne Bravo, Ambati Rayudu, Robin Uthappa and Mitchell Santner at the IPL mega auction.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) broke the bank as they went all out to get back Indian pacer Deepak Chahar at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction on Saturday (February 12).

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) broke the bank as they went all out to get back Indian pacer Deepak Chahar at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction on Saturday (February 12). CSK spent a record-breaking amount of Rs 14 crore (INR 140 million) to make Chahar their most expensive pick in the history of IPL auction. Chahar, who has been an integral member of the CSK squad since joining the four-time champions in 2018, said he was always confident of getting picked by the Men in Yellow. Chahar, however, insisted he never spoke with the team management or CSK skipper MS Dhoni about being retained by the franchise ahead of the ongoing IPL 2022 mega auction. Chahar was released by CSK ahead of the mega auction as the franchise decided to retain Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali and Ruturaj Gaikwad. However, he was bought back by the Dhoni-led side, who went all out to ensure no other team could match their bid for the Indian pacer. "I am really happy to be back in Chennai Super Kings. I don't think there will be any difference. When I go back, I will be seeing the same faces over the last 4 years, maybe over the last 6 years because I was with the Pune side and half the players were there. I could not have asked for a better auction than this," Chahar told Star Sports on Sunday. Chahar has been one of the reliable bowlers for Dhoni at CSK and has been used as a major weapon in the powerplay by the CSK skipper. Chahar has been brilliant with the new ball and has more often than not provided CSK with important breakthroughs up top. He has so far played 63 IPL matches and has 59 wickets to his name. Also Read: Insane! CSK make Deepak Chahar their most expensive IPL signing of all time at Rs 14 crore While Chahar revealed he never had any discussion with Dhoni or the CSK management about being retained, he recalled an incident from 2018 when CSK owner N Srinivasan had assured him that he will always play for CSK. "I took his word that day and after that, I have never spoken about retention or anything. Before the auction also, I didn't speak anything. I knew that CSK would pick me," Chahar said. Apart from bringing Chahar back in the side, CSK also managed to rope in a number of former players like Dwayne Bravo, Ambati Rayudu, Robin Uthappa and Mitchell Santner at the IPL mega auction.

Never spoke to MS Dhoni about retention, always knew CSK would get me back: Deepak Chahar

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