Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batting coach, Michael Hussey, made an interesting comparison ahead of the IPL 2024, comparing CSK captain MS Dhoni to the fictional character Benjamin Button, known for reverse aging.
Hussey stressed that Dhoni is in impeccable match fitness and has been showcasing exceptional batting form during practice sessions leading up to the upcoming IPL 2024, starting on March 22.
The IPL 2024 kicks off with CSK facing Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their home match on March 22 at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai. Ahead of the IPL 17 opener, Hussey opened up about Dhoni’s fitness, especially his knees, and his batting role in the CSK batting line-up.
Michael Hussey was quoted as saying by Sportstar: “He’s preparing really well. His knee seems good at this stage. And he’s batting extremely well at the moment. I must admit he’s like Benjamin Button! He keeps getting better. He’s not as young as he used to be.”
He added, “So, the scampering between the wickets is going to be more difficult for him. But at the back end of the innings, where there’s not as much sprinting, he can still hit the ball very cleanly. And he’s hitting the ball extremely well at the moment. It’s great to see.”
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Meanwhile, Hussey also opened up about the 20-year-old Uttar Pradesh batter Sameer Rizvi’s role whom they brought for a whopping INR 8.40 crore in the IPL auction.
CSK said, “Well, I think (he’ll bat) somewhere in the middle-order. He’s obviously a natural striker of the ball. I only saw him for the first time yesterday (Sunday). He looks like a very talented young prospect. So, I’m looking forward to working with him personally and just helping him improve his game, obviously for this tournament, but also the years moving forward. One thing, we want him to do well in this IPL, but theremanyuch more years left in his career.”
On being asked if Rizvi will fulfill Ambati Rayudu’s role for CSK, Hussey said, “Most definitely. I think he can definitely play that role. I mean Ambati Rayudu is someone that has so much experience and he’s played for so long. So, he’s a seasoned campaigner, whereas Rizvi is just starting in his IPL career.”
He signed off by saying, “So, we can’t expect Rizvi to be doing exactly what Rayudu has been doing for so many years. But, of course, we can start developing him and he’s got a lot of natural ability. So, it’s exciting. It’s exciting to see how far he can go.”
(Sportstar inputs)
