MS Dhoni’s Hysterical Moment During CSK’s Practice Ahead of IPL Has Fans Calling Him “Cute”

During his net practice in CSK's training camp, new recruits, including Sarfaraz Khan, spent significant time observing MS Dhoni's drills.

MS Dhoni’s Hysterical Moment During CSK’s Practice Ahead of IPL Has Fans Calling Him “Cute”

MS Dhoni's 'wide' dance captured fans attention. (via X)

In Short
  • MS Dhoni showcased his playful side by performing a humorous dance to signal a wide ball during CSK's pre-season training.
  • The Chennai Super Kings have made significant new signings, including Sanju Samson, Kartik Sharma, and Prashant Veer, ahead of the 2026 IPL season.
  • Fans expressed delight over Dhoni's antics, with many calling him "cute" and noting his enjoyment of the game despite his limited role in the team.

It is now the time of year when one of the most beloved Indian cricketers, MS Dhoni comes out to play for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. The 44-year-old veteran recently surprised fans with a funny reaction to a wide delivery during the CSK pre-season training camp.

All IPL franchises have begun preparations for the 2026 season, with five-time champions CSK among them. The Men in Yellow have undergone a transformation through new signings. At the 2026 IPL auction, CSK spent big on acquiring uncapped talents like Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer. Prior to the auction, Chennai had already secured the services of Sanju Samson in a trade deal from Rajasthan Royals. 

CSK officials began their pre-season training camp on March 1, at the team’s high-performance center in Navalur, Chennai. A number of players have already reported to the camp, including captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, along with several other domestic stars and new recruits. Sarfaraz Khan, Rahul Chahar, Mukesh Choudhary, Ayush Mhatre, Urvil Patel, Ramkrishna Ghosh, Veer, and Sharma have joined the camp.

While not the captain of the team anymore, MS Dhoni still headlined the group of players who arrived in Chennai for training. A heartwarming moment from the former India captain, which highlights his playful side, has quickly gained attention. While batting in the nets, he theatrically mimicked an umpire’s wide signal by breaking into a playful dance after a delivery from a bowler went well outside off-stump.

It left the others standing close to Dhoni, amused, including Urvil Patel, who was right behind the legend and broke out in laughter. It drew smiles all around the ground and underlined the easy mood in the CSK camp despite it being presumed that the 2026 IPL season could be Dhoni’s last. His role in the team has been limited, given he only scored 196 runs across 14 outings at an average close to 24 in 2025.

Despite being 44, Dhoni looked lean and sharp in the nets and was even captured playing trademark lofted shots in the nets. Before the CSK camp, Dhoni had completed intensive personal training sessions at the JSCA Stadium in Ranchi.

MS Dhoni delights CSK fans by breaking into playful ‘wide dance’ at CSK practice

While batting in the nets during CSK’s pre-season practice camp, MS Dhoni performed a playful dance to signal a wide ball bowled by a spinner. This ‘hysterical’ dance by the 44-year-old has since gone viral on social media, with many fans commenting that he has grown “cute” with age.

MS Dhoni CSK
MS Dhoni has returned to Chennai to join the CSK training camp. (via Free Press Journal)

CSK’s official social media account shared the clip of the heart-warming moment, leaving fans delighted. Some fans suggested that the former India captain is solely focused on enjoying his time in the IPL. A few others hilariously exclaimed that Dhoni’s viral ‘wide’ dance is a result of his company within the CSK camp. Chennai has a host of young talents, including Ayush Mhatre, Kartik Sharma, and Prashant Veer.

One fan exclaimed that the entertaining aspect of MS Dhoni’s character is back, hinting that the franchise might be on its course to securing a historic sixth IPL title this summer. Another fan, however, stated that the wicket-keeper batter should come out to bat higher in 2026. Some fans labelled Dhoni as the ‘old lion’, while others called him a ‘40-year-old child’. It remains to be seen what the 2026 season has to offer.

On social media, the franchise also shared videos of MS Dhoni’s time on the training ground. In another clip, he was shown picking out a bat from his kit, with it also being reported that he might have switched to a lighter 1.23 kg bat to increase his bat speed against pace. 

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