MS Dhoni has confirmed his availability for the upcoming IPL season
The 45-year old veteran may not feature in all the matches
Sanju Samson will don the gloves in MS Dhoni's absence
As the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League nears, the question about M S Dhoni's availability for Chennai Super Kings has taken centre stage. With the prize transfer of Sanju Samson into the Chennai squad from Rajasthan Royals, there were doubts cast over the veteran's availability for this season.
However, to fans' delight, a top source from CSK has confirmed that MS Dhoni has confirmed his availability for the upcoming season. Whether he'll play all the matches or not has not been confirmed.
"We can confirm this much that he is coming to Chennai and had confirmed his availability for the season," a top CSK source told PTI on condition of anonymity.
Sanju Samson To Take On Wicketkeeping Duties In Dhoni's Absence
Ever since the Impact rule has come into play, Dhoni, the batter, has taken a back seat in the last two editions, and he has batted himself according to situations, often limited to late-order cameos.
This time around, CSK have packed their squad with three wicketkeeper-batters - Sanju Samson being the prominent replacement as wicketkeeper, when Dhoni doesn't play. Apart from him, there's Urvil Patel and 14.20 crore rookie Kartik Sharma, who can take the wicketkeeping duties if needed.
MS Dhoni, who'll turn 45 this year, has been grappling with knee and back issues over the last few years, and the grueling physical demand of being a wicketkeeper batter with limited turnaround time is taking a toll on the former Indian skipper's body, which may have driven his decision of selective participation in the upcoming IPL season.
With PTI Inputs
