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Chennai Tremendous Kings skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad shares how MS Dhoni’s belief helped him transition into captaincy for the 2024 IPL season.
MS Dhoni (L) and Ruturaj Gaikwad. (Sportzpics Photograph)
Chennai Tremendous Kings skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad recalled how captaincy was unexpectedly handed to him and the way MS Dhoni’s belief helped him seamlessly transition into the position.
Gaikwad was elevated because the crew’s captain on the eve of the 2024 IPL season. He admitted that he was initially overwhelmed by the duty, however Dhoni made him really feel higher concerning the position.
“Only a week earlier than the event final yr, MS Dhoni got here as much as me and mentioned, ‘I’m not main this yr—you’re.’ I used to be greatly surprised, asking, ‘From the primary sport? Are you positive?’ With just some days to arrange, it was overwhelming,” he shared on JioHotstar.
“However he assured me, ‘That is your crew. You make your personal selections. I received’t intervene—besides when area placements are a 50-50 name. Even then, it’s not obligatory to comply with my recommendation. That belief meant rather a lot to me,” he added.
Dhoni held a memorable tenure as captain since his appointment within the inaugural season of the event in 2008. Since then, he has gone on to win it 5 occasions and spent his total IPL profession with the franchise, barring the 2 seasons in 2016 and 2017 when the franchise was suspended. He even gave the captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja in 2022, however the transfer didn’t work out, and Dhoni got here again because the captain in the identical season.
In his first season as captain, CSK marginally missed out on qualification to the playoffs. The facet racked up seven wins and as many losses of their marketing campaign however completed fifth as a result of internet run-rate permitting Royal Challengers Bengaluru to undergo.
Dhoni can be enjoying in his 18th season within the event in 2025 and has to date performed 264 video games and scored 5234 runs with 24 half-centuries to his identify. The legendary wicketkeeper-batter has not been as prevalent as seen in his youth. He has now advanced into an out-and-out finisher, coming in on the last stretch of the batting innings to maximise the runs scored within the last few balls.
It stays to be seen if Dhoni will ever make the shift again up the order with followers desirous to see him bat longer however his lingering harm struggles may see him retain his position as a finisher.
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