CSK’s ₹14.2 crore bet vindicated as MS Dhoni is blown away by Prashant Veer’s explosive net session

Prashant Veer's impressive strokeplay in a CSK practice session garnered praise from MS Dhoni.

MS Dhoni does not hand out praise cheaply. That is part of what has kept his voice so authoritative inside Chennai Super Kings dressing rooms across eras. So when the CSK icon was heard approving Prashant Veer’s strokeplay during a training session, the moment naturally stood out a little more than an ordinary social media clip.

Prashant Veer and MS Dhoni during CSK training. (Screengrab from CSK X)

For Prashant Veer, that matters because CSK went all the way to ₹14.20 crore for the uncapped all-rounder at the IPL 2026 auction, making him one of the most eye-catching investments of their campaign and instantly placing a sharp spotlight on everything from his development to his readiness.

In a CSK practice video shared on social media, Veer is seen batting in the nets with Dhoni standing behind him. The sequence is brief, but it says enough. As Veer lifts one beautifully through the offside, Dhoni’s reaction is immediate: “Shottt.” A little later, Veer plays a scoop, Dhoni tracks the ball and signals four. Then comes a straight drive, and once again the response from behind the stumps is the same: “Shottt.”

It is the kind of clip that works on two levels. On the surface, it is a senior pro appreciating a few cleanly struck shots in the nets. But in the CSK ecosystem, Dhoni’s approval has always carried extra weight. The franchise’s younger players often speak of how even the smallest word from him can settle nerves, sharpen confidence and make them feel they belong.

That is why this was more than just a pleasant training-ground exchange. Veer arrived in Chennai with a price tag large enough to invite scrutiny before he had even played a game for the franchise. The auction number created excitement, but it also created expectation. Every drill, every appearance, every clip was bound to be examined through that lens.

The video, then, offered a glimpse of something CSK would value just as much as raw skill: composure under attention. Veer was not merely swinging wildly in a practice hit. The shots that drew Dhoni’s reaction - a lofted drive, a scoop and a straight drive- suggested range, touch and confidence. For a player expected to justify a massive outlay, those are encouraging signs even if the setting is only a practice session.

There is already a wider Dhoni-Prashant Veer thread building around the season. Veer recently revealed that one of Dhoni’s early conversations with him was not even about cricket, but about staying grounded and handling life wisely after the auction windfall.

That context makes the latest clip land even better. CSK’s ₹14.20 crore recruit came into camp carrying a price tag. In the nets, for a few telling seconds, he looked like a player earning something more valuable - MS Dhoni’s approval.