The M.S. Dhoni frenzy, building steadily with each passing season, has reached fever pitch this year. Every Chennai Super Kings fixture now seems to orbit a single, lingering question: will the former captain finally step onto the field?

Ahead of the clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad, the team’s official Instagram account only heightened the anticipation, teasing Dhoni’s arrival in the City of Pearls. Yet, at Friday’s training session, the 44-year-old kept things low-key, alternating between light jogging and a casual game of foot-volleyball alongside Sanju Samson, Sarfaraz Khan, and a few others.

Head coach Stephen Fleming remained predictably tight-lipped, offering little beyond the standard line that Dhoni was “progressing well” in his recovery. But just when it seemed like another day of speculation would drift by unanswered, a late twist reignited belief.