MS Dhoni steps down as captain of CSK, Ruturaj Gaikwad to lead team in IPL 2024
In all, MS Dhoni led Chennai Super Kings in 235 of CSK’s 249 matches. The Chennai team won five IPL titles under his captaincy and two Champions League T20 trophies.
Cricket
Mahendra Singh Dhoni has stepped down as the captain of the Chennai Super Kings ahead of the Indian Premier League 2024 season, the team announced on Thursday.
The 42-year-old MS Dhoni led CSK, which has won the IPL a record-equalling five times, in over 200 matches. The former Indian men’s cricket team captain is the first player to achieve the feat in the popular Indian T20 cricket league.
Dhoni, who retired from international cricket after the 2019 ODI World Cup, was captain of CSK since the inaugural IPL in 2008, except for two seasons in 2016 and 2017 when he played for Rising Pune Supergiant.
The ace wicket-keeper was at the helm at CSK throughout his career except for a few matches in 2022 when Ravindra Jadeja replaced him. However, Dhoni took the reins back in the same season after CSK got off to a dismal start.
In all, Dhoni led CSK in 235 matches from a total of 249. The tally includes matches in the Champions League T20 - a tournament CSK won twice with Dhoni at helm. In the IPL, he led the team in 212 IPL matches, won 128 and lost 82.
Under Dhoni’s reign, the Chennai Super Kings won five titles in the IPL – 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021 and 2023 – and reached the final 10 times. The team failed to make the playoffs only twice during the period.
In total, Dhoni was the captain in 226 IPL matches, including 14 games for Rising Pune Supergiant.
Opener Ruturaj Gaikwad, who made his IPL debut with CSK in 2020, will lead the team into the new season.
The 27-year-old Gaikwad has played 52 IPL matches, scoring 1797 runs – including one century – at an average of 39.07 and a strike rate of 135.52. He was the leading scorer in IPL 2021 with 635 runs, earning the Orange Cap. Last season, he managed 590 runs.
“We have been working hard to prepare leaders,” CSK head coach Stephen Fleming said. “We have been slow on life after MS Dhoni. But trusting the youngsters has paid off well for us.
“I have already had a word with the youngsters like Rutu (Gaikwad) about leadership and captaincy. It is a great opportunity for him to lead the team,” the former New Zealand cricketer added.
CSK are the defending champions and will play the IPL 2024 season-opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Chepauk on Friday.