Mahendra Singh Dhoni may be sidelined due to injury in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026), but you can’t keep him away from the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). On Tuesday, Noor Ahmad stepped up with a stellar bowling performance, helping CSK secure a 32-run victory over the Kolkata Knight Riders by stifling them with spin. After the match, a CSK coach shared some insights about how Dhoni worked closely with Noor to help him find his groove again. 

Before facing KKR, Noor had been struggling with his bowling, posting figures of 0/24, 0/38, 0/49, and 1/36. Not only was CSK’s top run-scorer from IPL 2025 having a tough time taking wickets, but he was also quite costly. However, everything changed on Tuesday as the Afghan spinner returned to form, doing what he does best putting pressure on the opposition and claiming wickets. 

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After the CSK vs KKR match, bowling coach Sridharan Sriram revealed that Dhoni had a lengthy conversation with Noor during a practice session. He mentioned that the former CSK captain encouraged Noor to keep bowling leg breaks, and the results against KKR proved that Dhoni’s advice was spot on. 

“I think the wicket helped today. There was a bit more assistance for him compared to the flatter tracks earlier. He bowled slightly slower through the air, with more side spin and drop. That’s something he’s been working on. Even MS had a long chat with him in one of the practice sessions, encouraging him to get his leg-break going. It was very helpful, and the results showed,” Sriram said.

Noor was named Player of the Match for his impressive figures of 3/21. Meanwhile, MS Dhoni, the 44-year-old uncapped player, is still on the mend from a calf strain he picked up before IPL 2026 during a net session.

He has already missed five games, and earlier reports suggested he might not be fully fit until mid-April. With their win against KKR, CSK now sits in 8th place on the points table with two victories under their belt.