Is MS Dhoni still the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain? Well, the original skipper has something to say about it. The joint-most successful franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been carried on the shoulders of the enigma that is Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Under him, CSK became the team to beat, qualifying for IPL finals 10 out of 14 times.
However, after serving as CSK captain since the inception, Dhoni sent shockwaves on the eve of IPL 2024. On the captain’s day, he passed the baton of his captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was also taken aback with the sudden opportunity. But is he really the leader of the pack or does Dhoni still has a say in the team’s combination and strategies? Hear it from Gaikwad himself, who has didn’t have an ideal IPL 2024, where CSK finished without a playoff spot. Speaking to the JioHotstar, Gaikwad revealed about Dhoni’s role in his captaincy.
Ruturaj Gaikwad on MS Dhoni’s role as CSK captain
“Just a week before the tournament last year, MS Dhoni came up to me and said, ‘I’m not leading this year—you are.’ I was taken aback, asking, ‘From the first game? Are you sure?’ With just a few days to prepare, it was overwhelming.
Gaikwad asserted that Dhoni has granted full authority of decision to him but the CSK opener takes help on some on-field calls. “But he assured me, ‘This is your team. You make your own decisions. I won’t interfere—except when field placements are a 50-50 call. Even then, it’s not a compulsion to follow my advice. That trust meant a lot to me.”
Akash Chopra on MS Dhoni
Apart from this, former Indian batter, Akash Chopra also had a say on MS Dhoni and his role at CSK. While many argue that an ageing Dhoni might not be for the best suit due to his diminished capacity as a batter. “When your season doesn’t go well, you turn around and say, look at Dhoni, he’s batting low. Dhoni is no longer the captain. Was he just occupying a place? Personally, I don’t see it like that. I think it’s a big part of Chennai Super Kings and Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s strategy that you have to hold your hand to the next king in line.”
| Player | Span | Mat | Won | Lost | Tied | Draw | NR | W/L | %W | %L | % Tied | % Draw | %NR | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MS Dhoni | 2008-2023 | 235 | 142 | 90 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1.57 | 60.42 | 38.29 | 0.42 | 0.00 | 0.85 | 61.15 |
| RD Gaikwad | 2024-2024 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.00 | 50.00 | 50.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 50.00 |
