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File photo of MS Dhoni in action for CSK© BCCI
Legendary MS Dhoni on Thursday ‘handed over’ the captaincy of Chennai Super Kings to opener Ruturaj Gaikwad on the eve of the first match of the IPL, a surprising decision that is sure to spark speculation over his playing future with the franchise. In a post on X, the Indian Premier League made the announcement a day before CSK takes on Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The five-time champions issued a brief statement shortly after. “MS Dhoni has handed over the captaincy of Chennai Super Kings to Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of the start of TATA IPL 2024. Ruturaj has been an integral part of Chennai Super Kings since 2019 and has played 52 matches in IPL during this period. The team is looking forward to for next season,” CSK said.
It is speculated that Dhoni will retire at the end of the season and hence the franchise felt the need for a smooth transition in the presence of the stalwart as a player.
Gaikwad, who played six ODIs and 19 T20s for India, made his CSK debut in 2020 and represented the team in 52 games.
“Whatever Dhoni does, it is the best for the team. I came to know about the decision just before the captains’ meeting. You have to respect his decision, it is his decision,” CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan told PTI .
Gaikwad, a stylish opener, had a memorable run last year, amassing 590 runs in 16 games at an impressive strike rate of 147.50. His big year was 2021 when he accumulated 635 runs in 16 games.
The 27-year-old from Maharashtra is not new to captaincy, having led the Indian team to the gold medal at the Asian Games last year. He has also led his state side, Maharashtra.
CSK and Dhoni share an unbreakable bond and the World Cup-winning captain is expected to retain an important role in the franchise in the future, albeit not as a player.
CSK had attempted leadership transition even in the 2022 edition but it did not work out and Ravindra Jadeja returned captaincy duties to Dhoni after eight matches.
“It didn’t work at the time, this is different,” Viswanathan said.
In an interaction with the media later on Thursday, head coach Stephen Fleming added: “We were not ready to move away from MS in 2022. Dhoni has a good feel for the game but we want to develop young players for the role. We are well prepared this time.” Dhoni officially announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15, 2020, but his participation in IPL remained intact.
The 42-year-old, who played with a delicate knee last season, underwent surgery after leading CSK to their fifth title.
Dhoni has played as many as 250 IPL matches, scoring over 5000 runs at a strike rate of 135.92.
Due to his knee problems, Dhoni dropped to number 8 in the batting order last season, but after regaining full fitness, he is expected to bat higher this season.
Former India pacer Irfan Pathan recently met Dhoni and stated that the latter seems to be in good shape after knee surgery.
“Last year, Dhoni said he was giving a gift to his fans with his cricket. I met him a few days ago, he was playing pickleball for two hours non-stop. His knee was as fit as ever. It’s an exciting time for fans, now he has his old look. Will we have the old Dhoni too? Pathan asked on Star Sports.
“His role has changed in the last two years. He comes in the lower order, he takes fewer deliveries but plays the big shots, the strike rate is high. They are small but memorable innings. I think there won’t be much. “There may be a change this year. He will continue to play that role,” Pathan said.
Apart from stellar success in the IPL, Dhoni led CSK to two titles in the defunct Champions League. CSK reached 10 finals under Dhoni’s captaincy. If you include his 14 games for Rising Pune Supergiant, that extends his tenure as IPL captain to 226 IPL games with Rohit Sharma a distant second (158 games).
With Dhoni expected to play the entire season, Gaikwad will have the luxury of leaning on the charismatic cricketer in pressure situations. PTI BS EN PM BS EN EN
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