IPL 2026: WATCH- “Pookie” MS Dhoni plays with robo-dog Champak ahead of MI v CSK tie

CSK and MI will clash in Mumbai on April 23.

Ahead of the huge Mumbai Indians (MI) v Chennai Super Kings (CSK) match of the IPL 2026, which will be played on April 23 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, MS Dhoni was seen having some fun and playing with the IPL robo-dog Champak.

The AI-powered robotic dog was named Champak after a fan poll conducted by the IPL and made its debut on April 13 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium during the IPL 2025 match between the Delhi Capitals and the Mumbai Indians.

The intriguing-looking gadget was created by wTVision in collaboration with the BCCI and technical partner Omnicam.

During matches, the four-legged dog-shaped robot interacts with players, umpires, and spectators using a microphone, a speaker, a built-in voice recognition module, and a voice-interaction feature. Handshakes, jumps, and heart gestures are some examples of encounters.

It was a very heartening and light moment to see MS Dhoni having some fun with Champak, and even got on his back to make the robo-dog imitate his actions. After spending some minutes with the dog, MS Dhoni bid goodbye with a huge smile on his face and also shared a high-five with Champak before parting ways.

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