Bipin Dani
A video emerged on social media in which MS Dhoni’s wife, Sakshi updating the legendary captain’s recovery from his surgery has kept the cricket fans guessing.
“Mahi bhai is recovering, he is in rehab”, the wife answered to the question from one of Dhoni’s fans at the promotional event.
Soon after the IPL final this year on May 29, Dhoni underwent a surgery in Mumbai’s Kokilaben Ambani Hospital under the care of renowned surgeon Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala. In recent times, Dhoni has been seen making a rare public appearance to promote the first ever movie of his production house.
“Based on what, if it’s an ACL (An ACL injury is a tear or sprain of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) it can take 3-6 months for active sports. So ACL, we advise to go back to active sports after six months only”, Mumbai’s another renowned knee surgeon Ashutosh Chaudhari says.
Endorsing the rehab treatment, Prasanth Panchada, the head physio of the KKR team, and also the Afghanistan national team, said, “He underwent knee surgery after IPL and usually these injuries will take 6 to 9 months for total recovery and return to play. Lot of sportsmen have undergone similar surgeries and returned back to play as before. Lot of footballers have undergone similar surgery”.
“Getting back to full playing post surgery can take longer for older players like Dhoni who is 42 years old now. So there are many years of usage on his knees and other joints’ ‘, says Deckline Lietao, a Strength and Conditioning specialist for sports.
“Cricket doesn’t place as much strain on the knees with unpredictable sharp, pivoting and stop-start or contact movements like in football, rugby, kabaddi or badminton. So he should be able to get back to playing cricket if his return to sport rehabilitation and conditioning is managed correctly. But what can go against him in his return to playing professional cricket is his age and over-enthusiastic training”, he further added.
Another trainer Ramji Srinivasan, who worked with the Indian team, said, “Yes, it takes atleast 3 months for mobility and stability to return and then work on the strength and conditioning progressively. He would return next year for the IPL, unless he suddenly decides not to. Totally his choice”.
