WATCH: Dhoni gets rousing reception as he hits the nets during CSK's first training session

Dhoni on Monday returned to training amid never-ending speculation on his career, which has been on hold since last year''s ODI World Cup.

Chennai: Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Monday received a rousing reception at the the M A Chidambaram Stadium here during his first training session with Chennai Super Kings ahead of his much-anticipated return to action in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

CSK shared a video of Dhoni taking guard at the nets with the crowd which turned out to watch him train at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium chanting his name. "A grand waltz to take guard," said the tweet along with the video.

• A grand waltz to take guard! #StartTheWhistles #SuperTraining 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/tQbDqqnmT2

  — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 2, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  A grand waltz to take guard! #StartTheWhistles #SuperTraining 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/tQbDqqnmT2

  — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 2, 2020

  ">

  A grand waltz to take guard! #StartTheWhistles #SuperTraining 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/tQbDqqnmT2

  — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 2, 2020

Dhoni returned to training amid never-ending speculation on his career, which has been on hold since last year''s ODI World Cup.

Chants of "Dhoni, Dhoni...." were heard as he entered the M A Chidambaram Stadium and he obliged his fans with some big hits during the net session.

A few hundred fans gathered to watch the CSK players as they began practice for the forthcoming IPL, which begins on March 29.

The talismanic 38-year-old wicket-keeper batsman, who led India to two world titles, got down to work with some other team members. CSK's full camp will begin on March 19.

MS Dhoni stats

After jogging around for a while and doing some stretching, Dhoni put on his pads and launched a few big hits in his trademark style.

Earlier, Dhoni was given a hero's welcome as he arrived in the state capital.

CSK tweeted the video of Dhoni arriving in Chennai and captioned the post as: "Every goose shall bump with First Day First Show feels! Just #StartTheWhistles! #HomeSweetDen".

• Every goose shall bump with First Day First Show feels! Just #StartTheWhistles! #HomeSweetDen 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/DpQBIqahZe

  — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 1, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  Every goose shall bump with First Day First Show feels! Just #StartTheWhistles! #HomeSweetDen 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/DpQBIqahZe

  — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 1, 2020

  ">

  Every goose shall bump with First Day First Show feels! Just #StartTheWhistles! #HomeSweetDen 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/DpQBIqahZe

  — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 1, 2020

Notably, Dhoni has not played since the World Cup semifinal loss to New Zealand last year and has maintained a stoic silence on what his next move would be. He was dropped from the BCCI's list of centrally contracted players in January.

Among other CSK players who were part of the training on Monday were Ambati Rayudu, Murali Vijay, new recruit Piyush Chawla, Karn Sharma and local boys R Sai Kishore and N Jagadeesan.

CSK performance in Indian Premier League

This year's IPL begins with CSK taking on defending champions Mumbai Indians in Mumbai on March 29.

The three-time IPL champions had picked up veteran leggie Chawla, Australian pacer Josh Hazelwood, England all-rounder Sam Curran and left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore during the players' auction held in December last year.