Kamal Ghorui
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) spent Rs 14.2 crore each to sign uncapped players Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer at the Indian Premier League (IPL) Auction 2026. After joining the CSK squad, Prashant received a piece of advice from MS Dhoni that was not about cricket.Prashant said Dhoni’s first advice was about managing money rather than tactics on the field. “Right now, we haven’t spoken much about cricket. He told me to save my money and not spend it unnecessarily,” he said, as cited by Sportstar magazine.The 20-year-old all-rounder also spoke about his batting role. “I can bat in any situation. Just as long as I don’t have to open, I will do it anywhere else,” Prashant said to Sportstar.Prashant said the first few days with the team have been about understanding the environment and learning from others in the squad. “The environment is very good, and everyone is very supportive. It feels good to mingle with them and play together. It’s a great feeling for me, my family, and my village (Sahajipur, UP). I’m really blessed to be here.”He said the experience of training with an IPL team is different from what he had earlier. “It’s my first IPL, so I have never had practice sessions like this before. The environment and the intensity here are different, so it takes a little time to get used to it,” he said.The left-arm spin all-rounder also spoke about comparisons with Ravindra Jadeja. He said he is focusing only on his own performance. “First of all, I have to do what I know — what I have practised and what brought me here. If I think I have to take his place, there will be a lot of pressure because what he has done for the franchise or the Indian team is not easy to do. Right now, I’m just focusing on my game,” he said.Wicketkeeper-batter Kartik Sharma (19) said his main focus was to imbibe from Dhoni his finishing ability and tactical understanding. “I want to learn how to finish games and good game planning,” he said, as cited by Sportstar.
