Chennai Super Kings wicketkeeper MS Dhoni has given extensive information about his fitness ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. He said that he is not as fit as he used to be and is doing certain things to be fit for cricket.
The time to see MS Dhoni in action is getting less and less as each day passes. The former Indian national cricket team captain will play for Chennai Super Kings in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 after recently confirming his availability for the next season.
MS Dhoni has been retained as an uncapped player by Chennai Super Kings
MS Dhoni has been retained as an uncapped player by Chennai Super Kings and will get fees of INR 4 million per season. All attention will be focused on him as he has struggled with his fitness over the past two seasons and is also nursing a knee injury after the 2023 season.
But the struggles were visible even in IPL 2024 and because of that he knocked down the order. Last season he played all the matches averaging 54 with a strike rate of 220.54 in 14 outings. Since he will play another season, the focus will be on his fitness.
I’m not as fit as I was – MS Dhoni
While talking about his fitness, MS Dhoni admitted that he is not as fit as he used to be. He emphasized that he was playing different sports to be ready for cricket. Speaking of his condition on Eurogrip tires YouTube channel, explained:
“I’m not as fit as I was, now you have to put a lot of effort into what you eat and I do very specific things to be fit for cricket. We’re not fast bowlers so our demands are not as intense.”
“What helps me is doing a lot of sports between eating and going to the gym. So whenever I have time, I like to play a lot of different sports, maybe tennis, badminton or soccer, which keep me engaged. It’s the best way to keep in touch with fitness.”
For me, what is controllable in cricket – I have to practice well – is MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni went on to talk about cricket, saying that the best way to play the sport is for the batsmen to react to whatever is thrown at them.
“First you have to distinguish what is controlled. If you start complicating things, then it becomes very difficult to understand. Like in cricket, people talk about what cricket is and then you come up with different explanations. One of the best ways to play cricket for a batsman is to watch the ball and react to everything thrown at you,”
“For me, controlled in cricket is that I have to exercise well, I have to eat well, I have to be fit, how much I slept before the game, how hydrated I was, how much I tried to get information about the opposition.”
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