Chennai Super Kings, unlike other franchises, held a 5-day training camp in Chennai before MS Dhoni’s men left for the UAE for Indian Premier LEague (IPL ) 2020. Dhoni led the camp which was attended by quite a few Indian players from August 15 to 20.
CSK took the mandatory Covid-19 tests and trained in a bio-bubble at the MA Chidambaram Stadium after getting the necessary clearances from the Tamil Nadu government.
Speaking about the pre-IPL training camp, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan said it was MS Dhoni’s idea to have local players assemble in Chennai for the camp before they left for the UAE. Dhoni and his men reached Dubai on August 21 and have been in quarantine, following the protocols issued by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
“When we announced the tournament is going to happen, I had reservations about conducting the camp here because the bio-bubble had to be created. In fact sent a message to him (asking) whether it will be worthwhile having a camp for 5 days before going to Dubai. But the captain was crystal clear in his thoughts,” Viswanathan said in a YouTube video for CSK.
“He (Dhoni) said ‘sir, we have not played for nearly 4-5 months. All of us need to get together in Chennai. We should be in a bio-bubble in Chennai so that we get used to that when we land in Dubai’.
“And also it helped in the boys getting in shape. This camp, though we had some reservations, has really helped. I am very happy we were able to host the camp.”
