Looking refreshed and in high spirits, Dhoni appeared relaxed during his time in the nets, striking the ball cleanly and soaking in the atmosphere.

One light-hearted moment stood out. When a bowler sent one well outside the off-stump, Dhoni didn't just let it go, he broke into a playful gesture, stretching his arms out wide as if theatrically signalling a wide himself. The spontaneous act drew smiles around the ground and underlined the easy mood in the camp. Even as expectations build around another season, Dhoni seems determined to keep things loose while preparing to turn back the clock once again.

 

Recently, CSK shared a video on X showing Dhoni putting in the hard yards in the nets alongside captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. Dhoni looked fluent during the session, threading a few crisp drives through the off-side, rocking back to dispatch short balls with controlled pulls, and executing sharp cut shots with trademark precision.

 

MS Dhoni ready to return for another IPL season

Meanwhile, Dhoni continues to remain a key figure at CSK, having been retained under the uncapped player rule for INR 4 crore ahead of IPL 2025. The franchise has chosen to stick with the same arrangement for the 2026 season as well, keeping his pay unchanged and reaffirming their faith in the veteran. With the bat, Dhoni delivered a steady campaign in 2025, scoring 196 runs across 14 outings. He averaged 24.50 and maintained a strike rate of 135.17, often providing quick runs in the closing overs when the team needed momentum. Earlier, the Super Kings also unveiled their new jersey for the season, signalling a fresh start. They will be eager to bounce back after a difficult 2025 campaign, in which defeats in 10 of their 14 league matches left them at the bottom of the standings.

Ahead of the 2026 season, CSK made some big changes in their squad for the upcoming season, with the most notable one being the trade of all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran for the wicketkeeper batter Sanju Samson.