CSK shook all the pre-season talk around the 2024 season of the IPL by announcing that MS Dhoni has handed over captaincy of the team to Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) shook up all the pre-season chat around the 2024 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) by announcing that MS Dhoni has decided to hand over captaincy to 27-year-old opener Ruturaj Gaikwad. Gaikwad has been one of the foremost performers for CSK since making his debut in the 2020 season. He has captained Maharashtra’s white-ball teams in domestic since 2020 and has also led India to the Asian Games gold medal in Hangzhou last year, while also being vice-captain in the T20I series in Ireland and at home to Australia in 2023.
This is the second time that MS Dhoni has decided to step down as CSK captain(ANI )
It is the kind of development that triggers reactions from some of the biggest names in the game and among those is India and Mumbai Indians star batter Suryakumar Yadav. “Can’t deny the fact that you have got big shoes to fill bhauu. But I am sure that with your cool and calm nature you will take this teams legacy ahead in style. Wishing you all the love and luck,” said SKY in his Instagram story.
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Dhoni has been captain of CSK since the inaugural season of the IPL in 2008 and the team is widely rated as the most succesfull franchise in the history of the league. They have made it to the playoffs in all seasons they have played barring two. The second of those came in the first season in which Dhoni stepped down as captain in 2022. At the time, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was handed the reins but Dhoni took over after a disastrous run in the first eight games of the season in which CSK won just two matches. CSK then roared back again under Dhoni’s leadership the next season and won a record-equalling fifth IPL crown in 2023.
Dhoni informed CSK CEO about his decision before skippers’ meet
Speaking to news agency PTI, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan revealed that Dhoni shared the big decision before the IPL event in Chennai. “Whatever Dhoni does, it is in the best interest of the team. I got to know of the decision just before the captains’ meeting. You have to respect his decision, it is his call,” CSK CEO Viswanathan was quoted as saying.
According to a brief statement shared by CSK, it was Dhoni, who handed over the Chennai captaincy to Gaikwad before the start of the new season. “MS Dhoni has handed over Chennai Super Kings’ captaincy 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 looks forward to the upcoming season,” CSK said in a statement.
