IPL 2019: MS Dhoni is supremely fit, hard to believe that he is 37, says CSK wicket-keeper N Jagadeesan

Chennai: Tamil Nadu and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) wicketkeeper-batsman N Jagadeesan is in awe of Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s fitness and said the legendary stumper was supremely fit and so calm.

“He is supremely fit. You really can’t say he is 37 because of the way he moves, he is so swift around the field. And he is just so calm. He rarely speaks, but those few words lift the team,” Jagadeesan was quoted as saying on the CSK website.

The flamboyant batsman, who is yet to make his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut, said he got to watch Dhoni closely, adding that he got inputs from the talismanic captain.

“You don’t see Dhoni keep at the nets, he is someone who keeps directly in the games. But he is always there to guide you. I will be doing my drills and, at times when Mahi bhai sees me, he takes the time out to come and give me inputs. If I have doubts in my wicket-keeping or batting I go to him,” Jagadeesan said.

The 23-year old cricketer said he had learnt by sharing the dressing room with some of the game’s legends and added it was special to return to the same dressing room.

“To be coming back to the same dressing room is something special. I’m seeking to further my experience and learn more. As a cricketer I really learnt a lot, sharing the dressing room with some of the legends of the game was an experience in itself,” he added.

“I not only got to learn technical stuff. I also got to see how they prepare before a game mentally, how they carry themselves on and off the field.

Jagadeesan is part of CSK’s preparatory camp at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai.

Indian Test batsman Murali Vijay joined the camp on Sunday.

Other CSK players, including Suresh Raina, Mohit Sharma, Karn Sharma and KM Asif, among others, have been training ahead of IPL 12.

CSK face Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL 12 opener on 23 March.