Boosted by the record 103-run victory over arch-rivals Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will return to action on Sunday (April 26) when they host Gujarat Titans at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai with fans expecting more good news as MS Dhoni is nearing full fitness. The 44-year-old was spotted training extensively on the eve of the clash against MI in Mumbai, which ignited hope that it is only a matter of time before he takes the field again.

However, a report bythe Indian Expresshas revealed that Dhoni has regained full fitness but might still not feature in the clash against the Titans. The published information claims that the former skipper does not want to disturb a winning combination or take the place of a younger player.

For those unversed, Dhoni is yet to play a single match in the ongoing season of the league. Ahead of the Super Kings' opening match against RR, the franchise had revealed that he had suffered a calf injury and would be out of action for two weeks. However, it has been nearly a month since the statement was released.

Although the official word from the Super Kings remains that Dhoni is still recovering.

"He’s progressing well. He’s on the road to recovery and doing everything that’s being asked of him,” said head coach Stephen Fleming in a pre-match press conference.

During CSK's match against MI, their batter Mike Hussey provided a detailed update and claimed running between the wickets remained an issue, which was delaying Dhoni's comeback.

“He is progressing really well. He has been really pushing hard to get back as quick as he possibly can. I know all the fans would like to see Dhoni out there playing as well. We are hopeful, maybe in the coming few games. Even we want him as quickly as he possibly can as well. But obviously, he needs to be closer to 100 percent fit, ready to give his best. He has been batting really well in the nets, he looks good in the nets, just need him running hard between the wickets too," said Hussey in chat with Jiostar.

"The biggest thing is he has had a calf injury, so just the running and later in the innings when he comes in, having to scamper the ones and twos, we just need to make sure the calf is strong to withstand that. But certainly from a skill perspective, we know what he can do as keeper, and he has been batting well. So it is about getting confidence in the calf," Hussey added.

The Super Kings started the season with three defeats in a row after losses to RR, Punjab Kings (PBKS), and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Since then, they have won three of their next four games with victories against the Delhi Capitals (DC), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and MI. They lost a close against SRH in between this.

In Dhoni's absence, Sanju Samson has been keeping wickets, but Hussey had confirmed Dhoni will take over the gloves once he returns. Samson has made a brilliant start to his maiden season at the Super Kings with two centuries with the bat to his name already.

Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now