Dhoni Steps Down as CSK Captain, Gaikwad Takes the Helm
Strategic shift in Chennai Super Kings’ leadership as MS Dhoni hands over the captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad
Dhoni Steps Down as CSK Captain
MS Dhoni has passed on the leadership baton of Chennai Super Kings to Ruturaj Gaikwad, as confirmed by the team on Thursday (March 21). The transition of captaincy was initially hinted at during the pre-IPL captains’ conclave in Chennai on Thursday, where Gaikwad represented CSK, even before the franchise made the official announcement.
In a formal statement, Chennai Super Kings revealed, “MS Dhoni has handed over Chennai Super Kings’ captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of the start of IPL 2024. Ruturaj has been a key player for Chennai Super Kings since joining in 2019, contributing to 52 matches in the IPL. The team is eager to embark on the new season under his leadership.”
This leadership change, while sudden, aligns with Dhoni’s characteristic approach to his cricketing journey. On March 4, Dhoni shared a vague message on his social media, stating, “Can’t wait for the new season and the new ‘role’. Stay tuned!” The ambiguity of this post has been clarified with the recent announcement.
The confirmation from CSK’s management arrives just before the team’s first match of the season, setting the stage for an exciting start. As the reigning champions, the Super Kings are set to face Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Chepauk in Chennai on Friday (March 22), marking the commencement of the new IPL season.
Ruturaj Gaikwad Knew it about Captaincy Change
Sources within Chennai Super Kings disclosed that the franchise’s management was briefed about the captaincy shift merely an hour before the Captains Conclave on Thursday morning. “The decision was a mutual one between MS [Dhoni] and Flem [Coach Stephen Fleming]. In matters of cricket, we trust the team’s management to make the best decisions and they informed us about the change in leadership today morning. We respected their decision,” stated Kasi Viswanathan, CSK’s CEO, in a conversation with Cricbuzz.
Although it appears that Ruturaj Gaikwad, 27, who first joined the IPL in the 2020 season, was clued in about the leadership transition ahead of time, Viswanathan suggested that even the franchise owner, N Srinivasan, was kept in the dark until the day before the announcement.
“It’s likely that Rutu was given a heads-up about the change beforehand. MS tends to operate in this manner, probably consulting him prior to making the decision. However, we only notified Mr. Srinivasan this morning,” Viswanathan added.
Gaikwad is not new to leadership roles in T20 cricket, having notably led India to a Gold Medal at the previous year’s Asian Games. His captaincy record in T20 cricket stands at 16 matches, with 10 wins, 5 losses, and 1 match ending in no result.
Ravindra Jadeja Episode
N Srinivasan has yet to comment on the recent captaincy transition, suggesting a more strategic approach compared to the tumultuous shift in 2022 when Ravindra Jadeja briefly assumed leadership. The previous change led to a public relations challenge for Chennai Super Kings, culminating in Jadeja’s departure from the team before the season concluded.
Efforts were made last season to appease Jadeja and ensure his smooth return to the team. These efforts paid off, as Jadeja played a pivotal role in the team’s championship victory, their fifth title, by hitting crucial runs in the final’s closing moments. This year, measures were meticulously planned to avoid past misunderstandings.
The question of whether Ruturaj Gaikwad will remain captain in the long term remains open, especially with the upcoming mega auction and rumors of Rohit Sharma being a potential acquisition for CSK, following his captaincy release from Mumbai Indians. Kasi Viswanathan chose not to speculate on future team dynamics, emphasizing, “We cannot say about the future.” He did, however, confirm that MS Dhoni is set to participate in the entire season.
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