Lucknow may host IPL but its only upto franchises: MS Dhoni

Samarth Srivastava

Lucknow: Former Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who was in the city of nawabs to lay the foundation stone of ‘Sports Galaxy’, said that whether Ekana International Cricket stadium will host any Indian Premier League (IPL) 11 game or not will completely depend upon the existing eight franchises.

Interacting with the media persons at the event, MS Dhoni answered a few questions which are mentioned below:

Will Lucknow’s Ekana International Cricket stadium be seen hosting any IPL 11 game?

It is franchise’s call. IPL is a very different thing. Even if any franchise comes here, there is a chance of only one or two games.

It will be good if international matches will be played at the Ekana International stadium. Like India take on Australia or some other team then that will be better than IPL for the stadium as well as the city.

But talking only about IPL would not be fair as it is upto franchise. If they will wish to make their games played here then you will see it happen.

How has your experience been in all the visits you had in Uttar Pradesh in context of Cricket?

We have played a lot of Cricket in Kanpur. When I used to play U-19 then also the team of UP was way too good. They had a lot of talent. Their bowlers were expert in swinging the ball both ways. The state has given several great batsmen to the sport.

Nepal has recently secured ODI status after beating Papua New Guinea in ICC World Cup Qualifier 2018. Say something about the same?

I visited Nepal few years back and was fortunate to meet its Cricket team. The players were working very hard. I told them to focus on the game.

Their bench strength may not be that strong but I told them to enjoy the sport, give yourself the opportunity where you can express yourself at the International arena.

Also read: Why MS Dhoni is an indispensable asset for team India? Read

It is very good to see them qualifying.

Afghanistan has also come up by playing good Cricket and now it has become a decent side. In the past also several teams did pretty well but somehow they faded away, UAE is one of them.

Virat Kohli recently talked about work load. What's your take as you are also playing Cricket for so long?

I have already retired from Test Cricket so workload is not an issue with me.

What role does fitness play in the making of any athlete?

It is not only about talent, it is also about fitness. Diet plays a major role in fitness. If you will ask a boy for running or playing Cricket, he will definitely choose the latter as it is more interesting. If you want to do good in sport or in life, discipline is the key factor.

Notably, the talismanic wicket-keeper batsman MSD will be next seen in action in the Indian Premier League Season 11, beginning April 7, in the colours of Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

Also read: MS Dhoni: The remaining ash of the legend must not be wasted