Thursday, May 16

MS Dhoni Steps Down As Chennai Super Kings Captain

Edited by Hiba Anvar
MS Dhoni Steps Down As Chennai Super Kings Captain (image-twitter/SergioCSKK)

Mahendra Singh Dhoni stepped down as the captain of Indian Premier League (IPL) side Chennai Super Kings. Ruturaj Gaikwad will instead take the position and will lead the team in IPL 2024. The 42 year old has been the captain of the Super Kings since the IPL began in 2008. He has led CSK in 212 IPL matches, won 128 and lost 82.

The move has come a day prior to the eve of the first match of the 2024 season of the Indian Premier League. The season opener of this year’s tournament will witness the defending champions Chennai Super King take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Former Indian cricket, Irfan Pathan commenting on Dhoni’s end of legacy as CSK leader wrote on X, “In the ever-expanding galaxy of cricket, MS Dhoni’s legacy as CSK’s leader shines bright, akin to a supernova, illuminating the path for the franchise with unparalleled brilliance and allure. His leadership will be remembered for decades to come. Good luck Ruturaj for your new responsibility as a CSK leader.”

CSK in its statement said, “MS Dhoni has handed over Chennai Super Kings’ captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of the start of 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”.

MS Dhoni holds the record of captaining the most number of IPL matches. India’s ODI World Cup-winning captain has led Chennai Super Kings and now defunct Rising Pune Super Giants in 226 matches.

Gaikwad is the first Pune-based youngster to become the captain in the tournament. Gaikwad has been with the team since 2019 and has played 52 matches in IPL during this period. The stylish opener has played six ODIs and 19 T20s for India. He had a memorable run last year, aggregating 590 runs in 16 games at an impressive strike rate of 147.50.