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'Till the final, he never complained about his knee to anybody'
'He told us immediately after the final is over he'll fly to Mumbai, have surgery and go back to Ranchi for rehab'
Chennai Super Kings' chief executive officer, Kasi Viswanathan, has revealed that CSK skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's knee injury was a struggle for him, and yet he never complained about this to anybody.
Dhoni didn't miss a single match in CSK's IPL 2023 triumph. He led the team from the front and ensured that his team walked away with their fifth IPL title. The former Indian skipper went through knee surgery at the beginning of this month to overcome this issue.
CSK’s CEO, Kasi Viswanathan, disclosed the silent struggle Dhoni endured during the IPL 2023. Despite a knee injury, Dhoni never complained and led CSK from the front, guiding them to their fifth IPL title. The former Indian captain underwent knee surgery earlier this month to address the issue.
Viswanathan praised Dhoni's dedication, emphasising that CSK never forced him to play if he felt unfit. They trusted that Dhoni would communicate honestly about his condition. "We never asked him things like 'do you want to play or do you want to sit out?' If he can't, he would've told us straightaway," revealed Viswanathan in an interview with ESPNcricinfo.
"We knew it was a struggle for him to play, but his commitment to the team, his leadership and how the team benefits everyone knows. From that perspective, you have to appreciate him," he said.
"Till the final, he never complained about his knee to anybody. Though everyone knew, and you would've seen him struggling while running, he never complained even once. After the final, he said, 'okay, I'll have a surgery'. He's finished his surgery, he's quite happy, he's recovering," Viswanathan added.
After securing their fifth IPL title Dhoni went on to reveal that the title-winning moment would be the ‘best time’, but instead he vowed to return for "at least" one more season if his body allowed.
There are still nine months left before the next IPL season begins and Dhoni is about to begin his rehab soon after taking the rest of three weeks of post-surgery.
"Actually, he told us immediately after the final is over he'll fly to Mumbai, have surgery and go back to Ranchi for rehab," Viswanathan said.
"In Mumbai, after Ruturaj's wedding (on June 4), I visited him. It was a courtesy call. He's quite comfortable. He said he'll rest for three weeks and then start his rehab. And like he said, he's not going to play until January-February. We don't need to remind him about all that," Viswanathan said.
Viswanathan also shed light on Dhoni's future, stating that the decision to continue playing or retire would be solely Dhoni's prerogative.
"He knows what to do, how to go about it, so we aren't going to ask him 'what are you going to do, how' etc. He will inform us on his own. Whatever he's doing, he'll call first and inform only Mr N Srinivasan, not anyone else. Factually, he'll be straightforward with him. From him, we'll get the information that this is what he's doing. It's been this way since 2008. That's how it will continue," Viswanathan signed off.
As Dhoni takes the necessary time to recover and undergo rehabilitation, cricket fans eagerly await his next move.