New Delhi: Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad recalled the moment when Mahendra Singh Dhoni revealed he will no longer be leading the side and handed over his responsibilities to the opening batter.
On the eve of the 2024 IPL season, stepped down as the captain of the CSK and handed over the reigns to Gaikwad, who has been part of the franchise since 2019.
Dhoni led CSK in 212 matches, winning 128 games while losing 82 matches since the IPL began in 2008, except the two years when the franchise was suspended due to spot fixing scandal. At the start of the 2022 season, Dhoni handed over the captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja at but returned as skipper after eight matches.
“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.
“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,” said Gaikwad on JioHotstar.
Dhoni’s tenure as captain of CSK began in the first season back in 2008 and resulted in five trophy-winning campaigns. He has spent his entire career with the Super Kings barring the 2016 and 2017 seasons when the franchise was suspended.
“When a highly experienced captain is still on the field, his presence can be either an asset or overwhelming. Some players might wonder, ‘Am I really leading, or is the team still looking to the former captain?’ But Dhoni’s personality is exceptional—he ensures the transition is seamless without overshadowing the new leader,” said former India batter Aakash Chopra.
In Gaikwad’s first season as captain, CSK narrowly missed out on qualifying for the 2024 IPL Playoffs. The Chennai side had seven wins and losses each in their 14 game campaign, which saw them finish fifth, below Royal Challengers Bengaluru on net run rate.
Dhoni will be playing in his 18th season in the tournament in 2025 and has so far played 264 games and scored 5234 runs with 24 half-centuries to his name.
South Africa great AB de Villiers also credited Dhoni for his longevity and hopes it continues for many years to follow. “Gotta give credit to him for encouraging millions of fans out there to watch the game of cricket and to be inspired. It’s because of guys like him who have really carried the game well over a very long period of time. Touch wood, hopefully it continues for a few more years to come,” he said.
(IANS)
