Legendary wicketkeeper-batsman MS Dhoni has started his preparations for the upcoming IPL 2026, as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have officially started their preseason camp. The five-time IPL champions have been training at their high-performance center in Navalur.
MS Dhoni batted in the nets with captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, while Sarfaraz Khan watched carefully and waited for his turn. The practice field at Navalur under the supervision of assistant coaches S Sriram and Rajeev Kumar was full of energy.
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Other Indian players also joined the first phase of the camp, and they are Rahul Chahar, Mukesh Chaudhary, Ayush Mhatre, Ramakrishna Ghosh and Urvil Patel.
MS Dhoni’s funny dance in the nets goes viral
The internet went into a frenzy when a video from CSK’s training camp showed the 44-year-old veteran showing off his fun side ahead of IPL 2026. During batting practice, Dhoni cleverly left a ball outside the off stump. Right after this he suddenly started dancing in a funny manner.
Teammates started laughing as the video went viral on social media and fans loved seeing this happy side of their hero. The former Indian captain looked fit, agile and hungry in the nets, leaving CSK fans already feeling excited for the next season.
MS Dhoni’s highlights from yesterday’s practice session.
0:08 Mahi’s dance moves on pic.twitter.com/cvYh8ufgwN
—` (@WorshipDhoni) 2 March 2026
ok, but what was that dance move at 0:09 @msdhoni ? ???pic.twitter.com/YVLHvN8aJt
– 𝐍𝐡 (@Nehatweets__) 1 March 2026
MS Dhoni surprises fans with lean and fit look ahead of IPL 2026
Meanwhile, MS Dhoni has surprised everyone with his new look and strong body ahead of IPL 2026. The legendary cricketer arrived in Chennai on February 28 to join the Chennai Super Kings camp, and people noticed that the former captain looked lean and sharp.
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Before coming to Chennai, Dhoni trained hard in Ranchi. He spent several days at the JSCA Stadium in Ranchi to prepare for the next season. Every day, he reportedly trained for about five hours. He started around 1:30 in the afternoon. He batted in the nets for about two hours.
Smart changes for the new season
The former CSK captain practiced match situations again and again. He worked on finishing games under pressure, just like he does in real matches. After batting, he moved on to strength training. He focused on building strength without putting too much stress on his body.
Instead of running long distances, he chose swimming. This helped him stay fit and protect his joints. Dhoni also made a smart change. He switched to a lighter bat of 1.23 kg. This helps him swing faster and have better control over shots, especially against fast bowlers.
Moreover, Dhoni followed his special tradition before joining the CSK camp. He visited Deori Maa temple in Tamad, about 60 kilometers from Ranchi. He offered prayers and took blessings.
Dhoni’s CSK visit
By the way, Dhoni and Chennai Super Kings have been together for the last 18 years. Under the captaincy of Dhoni, the CSK team won the IPL title in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021 and 2023 and also reached the playoffs 12 times in 14 seasons.
Dhoni has captained the most number of matches as a captain in the league history. He also has the most number of victims as a wicketkeeper. Till now this veteran cricketer has scored 5,439 runs in 278 IPL matches.
For IPL 2026, CSK retained Dhoni for Rs 4 crore under the uncapped player rule, which applies to Indian players who have not played international cricket for five years or more.