MS Dhoni and Chennai Super Kings
Chennai Super Kings have suffered a huge blow in the build-up to the 13th season of the Indian Premier League. First was the COVID-19 outbreak which included two players, resulting in an extension of their quarantine period in Dubai. The second, which came just a few days after, was the departure of Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh from the squad. The back-to-back blows have left fans worried but the franchise CEO has assured that captain MS Dhoni will "take care of the team".
13 personnel tested positive on their third day of arrival in Dubai which included bowler Deepak Chahar and batsman Rituraj Gaikwad. A day or two later team vice-captain Raina left Dubai for home citing "personal reasons". And in the following week, veteran offie Harbhajan opted against travelling to Dubai in a bid to be with his family amid these tough times.
However, team's CEO Kasi Viswanathan believes that like most times, the skipper will pull out CSK out of this situation.
"This is to confirm that the team is in very good shape, we need not worry. We have a skipper who have navigated us through very tough times. Thalaivan will definitely take care of the team and we are very confident, we have started practice from yesterday, a day before.
"The players are also in quite good spirit. They have had regular Zoom meeting where the coach and captain have addressed the players and all of them are in a good frame of mind. We will come out of the tough situation and very happy to report that team is in very good shape to take care of the matches coming up in the IPL.
"I am very confident that the Chennai Super Kings fan club will definitely look up to the team which is very confident of doing well and I sure that the 'yellow fever' will catch up throughout the country and also in Dubai where we have a very good following. Fans of CSK are very important to team and we look forward to your support," Kasi Viswanathan.
Chennai Super Kings will play the IPL 2020 opener in Abu Dhabi against defending champions Mumbai Indians in what will be a repeat of the IPL 2019 final.
