Dhoni was displaying match-like intensity in CSK training camp, says Piyush Chawla

Spinner Piyush Chawla has said that wicket-keeper batsman MS Dhoni was displaying match-like intensity in the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) training camp and was raring to go for Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020.

Dhoni was slated to return to the cricket field on March 29 in the IPL's opening match between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. However, the tournament was postponed until April 15 as a precautionary measure against coronavirus.

"Mahi Bhai was absolutely focused, training purposefully and was looking really good. He was showing match-like intensity in the way he was batting and keeping and that was rubbing off on the others," official website of CSK quoted Chawla as saying.

CSK's bowling coach Lakshmipathy Balaji also said that Dhoni was looking forward to IPL 2020 and was training very hard to be fit for the competition.

"MS is a natural athlete and supremely fit. He did not look rusty, did not look one bit like he was away from the game. He was clearly looking forward to the season, the way he was training, batting, keeping and being involved with the team," Balaji said.

Thirty-eight-year-old Dhoni has been currently enjoying some time away from the game. He last played competitive cricket during the 2019 World Cup.

Dhoni had to face criticism for his slow batting approach during India's matches in the tournament.

Earlier this year, Dhoni did not find a place for himself in the BCCI's centrally contracted players list. BCCI had released the list of central contract list of players for the period from October 2019 to September 2020.

Dhoni is the only captain to win all major ICC trophies (50-over World Cup, T20 World Cup, and Champions Trophy).

During his leadership, India also managed to attain the number one ranking in Test cricket.

Chennai Super Kings has also managed to win the tournament three times under his leadership.