MS Dhoni is no longer the captain of Chennai Super Kings. He is currently out of action, sidelined with a calf injury, with no clarity yet on his return. He hasn’t travelled with the team for away games this season due to rehabilitation and has also stayed away from match days at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. And yet, he still runs Chepauk.
Chennai Super Kings' MS Dhoni during a practice session on the eve of the IPL 2026 match between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders (PTI)
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
It has been a rough few months for Noor Ahmad. The Afghanistan spinner had gone wicketless in international cricket this year, and that struggle spilt into IPL 2026, where he failed to pick a wicket in his first three matches. He finally broke the drought against the Delhi Capitals in Chennai, but it was against the Kolkata Knight Riders that he truly rediscovered his rhythm.
Noor returned with figures of 3 for 21, playing a key role in Chennai’s second consecutive win while keeping KKR winless this season.
On a surface that aided spin, Noor kept it simple. He resisted the temptation to overuse variations and relied more on deliveries turning back into the right-handers. After his Player of the Match performance, CSK bowling coach Sridharan Sriram revealed how a conversation with Dhoni proved pivotal, with the former captain advising Noor to cut down on excessive googlies and trust his leg-break more.
{{/usCountry}}
{{#usCountry}}
On a surface that aided spin, Noor kept it simple. He resisted the temptation to overuse variations and relied more on deliveries turning back into the right-handers. After his Player of the Match performance, CSK bowling coach Sridharan Sriram revealed how a conversation with Dhoni proved pivotal, with the former captain advising Noor to cut down on excessive googlies and trust his leg-break more.
{{/usCountry}}
“I think the wicket helped today. There was a bit more assistance for him compared to the flatter tracks earlier. He bowled slightly slower through the air, with more side spin and drop. That’s something he’s been working on. Even MS had a long chat with him in one of the practice sessions, encouraging him to get his leg-break going. It was very helpful, and the results showed,” Sriram said.
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
Dhoni may not have been present in the dressing room on match days, but he has been actively involved during training sessions at Chepauk.
On Monday, ahead of the clash against KKR, Dhoni and head coach Stephen Fleming were seen closely monitoring Noor during extended net sessions. After practice, Dhoni spent considerable time in conversation with the young spinner, who had enjoyed a stellar IPL 2025 season with 24 wickets.
With back-to-back wins, Chennai have climbed to eighth in the standings, ahead of Mumbai Indians and KKR. They next travel to Hyderabad to face Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 18.
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.
Get live cricket scores, match updates, schedules, results and ICC rankings. Follow the latest news, statistics and performances of top teams and players on Hindustan Times.
Get live cricket scores, match updates, schedules, results and ICC rankings. Follow the latest news, statistics and performances of top teams and players on Hindustan Times.
Home/Cricket/MS Dhoni still runs Chepauk: Injured icon shapes Noor Ahmad masterclass to keep KKR winless
{{^htLoading}}
Advertisement
{{/htLoading}}
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
{{#usCountry}}{{/usCountry}}
Hindustantimes wants to start sending you push notifications. Click allow to subscribe
