{"id":1035,"date":"2026-01-27T12:40:23","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T07:10:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cricbex.com\/story\/?post_type=news&#038;p=1035"},"modified":"2026-02-04T17:10:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T11:40:57","slug":"ms-dhoni-starts-training-ahead-of-ipl-2026","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/cricbex.com\/story\/news\/ms-dhoni-starts-training-ahead-of-ipl-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Ms Dhoni Starts Training Ahead of IPL 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">MS Dhoni has resumed rigorous training at the JSCA International Cricket Stadium in Ranchi. The 44-year-old veteran, renowned for his discipline and fitness, was seen putting in hard work in the nets, showcasing his unwavering commitment to the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Videos shared by the Jharkhand Cricket Association showcased Dhoni facing young spinners and offering guidance to aspiring cricketers, demonstrating his mentorship skills alongside his personal preparation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Donning his iconic pads, Dhoni focused on refining his defensive technique while staying in peak condition for the upcoming IPL season.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The visuals quickly went viral, generating excitement among fans eager to see the former captain in action once again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dhoni, who retired from international cricket in 2020, continues to remain an integral part of CSK. Under his leadership, the franchise has secured five IPL titles, building a legacy of dominance and consistency.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last season, however, CSK faced a rare setback, finishing at the bottom of the points table with just four wins out of 14 matches.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dhoni had to step in as captain midway through the campaign after skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad sustained an injury, finishing with 196 runs at an average of 24.50 and a strike rate of 135.17.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ahead of IPL 2026, CSK has revamped its squad by signing several <a href=\"https:\/\/cricbex.com\/story\/most-expensive-uncapped-indian-players-in-ipl\/\">uncapped Indian players<\/a>, including Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma, who became the most expensive uncapped players in the tournament\u2019s history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Along with established stars like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Dewald Brevis, and Urvil Patel, the team looks poised to mount a strong comeback.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fans are particularly eager to see if Dhoni, popularly known as \u2018Thala\u2019, will unleash his finishing skills and guide the Yellow Army toward a sixth IPL title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speculations about Dhoni\u2019s retirement continue to swirl, with former CSK spinner R Ashwin suggesting that the veteran might bat at number three in the powerplay.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dhoni himself remains non-committal, stating that his fitness and body\u2019s readiness will determine his future.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Regardless, his presence in training sessions and mentorship of young players underscores his continued influence both on and off the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As the countdown to IPL 2026 begins, the cricketing world watches closely. <a href=\"https:\/\/cricbex.com\/story\/news\/ms-dhoni-behind-jharkhand-smat-win\/\">MS Dhoni behind Jharkhand SMAT&#8217;s win<\/a><strong>,<\/strong> continues to impress with his preparation, leadership, and enduring skill, promising another thrilling chapter in the career of one of India\u2019s greatest cricketers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":1037,"template":"","tags":[516,515],"ppma_author":[488],"class_list":["post-1035","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-dhoni-training-session","tag-ms-dhoni-ipl-2026"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cricbex.com\/story\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/1035","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cricbex.com\/story\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cricbex.com\/story\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cricbex.com\/story\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cricbex.com\/story\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1037"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cricbex.com\/story\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1035"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cricbex.com\/story\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1035"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cricbex.com\/story\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=1035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}