CSK training camp gets underway ahead of IPL 2024

Chennai Super Kings` players celebrate with the trophy after their victory against Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (Pic: AFP)

Chennai Super Kings' pre-season camp got underway here on Saturday in the presence of pacer Deepak Chahar, who will be eyeing a national comeback through a consistent run for his franchise in the IPL 2024 beginning March 22.

"The first batch of local (Indian) players arrived on Friday and more are expected to arrive in the coming days," a Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) official told PTI.

On Friday, CSK confirmed the arrival of the first batch of players in the city and they included Simarjeet Singh (pacer), Rajvardhan Hangargekar (all-rounder), Mukesh Choudhary (pacer), Prashant Solanki (spinner), Ajay Mandal (all-rounder) and Deepak Chahar (seamer).

Notably, Chahar has not played any form of cricket since last December when he pulled out of the T20 series against Australia midway before skipping the tour of South Africa due to his father's illness.

However, he declared himself fully fit last month while training at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. The injury-prone pacer is eyeing a comeback to the national side for the T20 World Cup scheduled in the Caribbean and the USA in June.

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Fan-favourite and team skipper MS Dhoni's arrival is yet to be confirmed. He was spotted with his wife Sakshi in Jamnagar on Friday when he attended the pre-wedding function of Anant Ambani, the youngest son of Indian business tycoon Mukesh Ambani.

CSK open their IPL 2024 campaign versus Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) here on March 22.

Meanwhile on Friday, Lucknow Super Giants on Friday signed former South African all-rounder Lance Klusener as their assistant coach for the upcoming season. He will be teaming up with head coach Justin Langer and fellow assistant coach S. Sriram.

LSG have reached the IPL playoffs in both the seasons they have featured in since their inception in 2022. However, on both occasions, they have been ousted in the Eliminator.

Klusener is also the head coach of LSG's South African franchise, the Durban's Super Giants.

(With agency inputs)