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Initially it was expected that Dhoni would recover in a few weeks.

Chennai: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming on Sunday said that MS Dhoni’s return to the IPL will be further delayed as the veteran player suffered a calf injury again during a practice match.

CSK have played eight matches without their former skipper this season and Fleming said that initially the hope was that Dhoni would recover in a few weeks but due to the aggravation of the calf injury, the rehabilitation process is now being approached with more caution.

“Yes, he is very keen to come back,” Fleming said in a press conference. But shin injury is very difficult. If he strains and strains his calf again, he will be out of the entire tournament. ”

“So we were a little hasty in the beginning and then in a practice match he strained his calf again. And since then he has been working hard. But there was a setback so it’s taking longer than we thought. But see, only he can take the best decision in this matter. ”

Fleming said that Dhoni is working closely with the team physio. He said, “He is working hard with the physio and doing all the rehab. And we are just waiting for their decision. But all I can say and I am not taking it lightly is that his condition is improving and he is trying his best. ”

With a five-day break ahead of their next match against Mumbai Indians, CSK will continue to monitor Dhoni’s recovery process. However, Fleming’s update suggests that the chances of his return are slim.

Dhoni has been participating in training sessions regularly, but has mostly restricted himself to throw-downs. Recently, he was seen practicing wicketkeeping, which intensified the discussion about his possible comeback.

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