A rising delivery from Shane Bond that hit Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on the right elbow has ruled him out for 10 days. It means Dhoni could miss up to four games — against Delhi Daredevils on Friday in New Delhi, Kings XI Punjab on Sunday in Chennai, Bangalore Royal Challengers on March 23 in Bangalore and Mumbai Indians on March 25 in Mumbai.
Dhoni is expected to return home and join the Super Kings team in Chennai on March 21. “Doctors who assessed Dhoni’s injury here this morning, advised rest for at least 10 days and the skipper will be going home but would rejoin the team in Chennai on March 21,” an official statement from the CSK team management said on Wednesday.
Dhoni’s sore right elbow will be further assessed on his arrival in Chennai following which a decision will be taken on his immediate participation in the IPL. Dhoni’s forced absence is a huge blow for the Super Kings just when they were looking to build momentum for their IPL-III campaign that had begun on a wrong note when they lost to defending champions Deccan Chargers on Sunday.
“Suresh Raina has been named stand-in captain of the Super Kings in the absence of Dhoni,” the statement said.
Although Dhoni continued to bat after medication and subsequently kept wickets, it was obvious that he was in severe pain on Tuesday. He attended the televised post-match interview with an ice pack on his arm. At that time, he wasn’t quite sure of the extent of injury.
Fans in Chennai are surely disappointed and hope that “substitute” captain Suresh Raina would be able to carry on the good work following the win at Eden Gardens.
“It is very disappointing and sad to know that Dhoni will be out for the next four matches. I am a great fan of Dhoni the captain and batsman. His batting yesterday proved how useful he is to the team. My friends and I hope that Hayden will come good with the bat, we want him to use the Mongoose bat,” Sankar Raman, an engineering student and avid cricket fan who was at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday, said echoing the sentiment of his friends.
Comments