MS Dhoni steps down as the most capped captain in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), concluding his tenure with an impressive 235 matches.
In a surprising turn of events, Ruturaj Gaikwad has been appointed as the new captain of the Chennai Super Kings, taking over from the legendary MS Dhoni. This announcement came as a shock just one day before the IPL opener, leaving many fans and experts taken aback.
The Indian Premier League revealed this news through a post on X, unveiling the change in leadership ahead of CSK's match against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Confirming the news, Chennai Super Kings also announced that Ruturaj Gaikwad will be assuming the role of captain, succeeding MS Dhoni.
The team made it official with a post on X that read: “OFFICIAL STATEMENT: MS Dhoni hands over captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad. #WhistlePodu #Yellove”
Gaikwad, who has represented India in six ODIs and 19 T20s, made his debut for CSK in 2020. Since then, he has played a pivotal role in the team, featuring in 52 matches for the five-time IPL champions. Notably, Gaikwad delivered an outstanding performance last year, scoring 590 runs in 16 games with a striking rate of 147.50.
Ruturaj Gaikwad currently holds the record for being the seventh-highest run-getter for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). His impressive performance in the IPL 2021 season saw him amass a total of 635 runs, earning him the prestigious Orange Cap. Gaikwad has previously captained Maharashtra in the Vijay Hazare and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy tournaments, but leading CSK is undoubtedly the biggest challenge of his captaincy career.
MS Dhoni steps down as the most capped captain in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), concluding his tenure with an impressive 235 matches. Throughout his leadership, Dhoni guided the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to victory in 128 matches while experiencing defeat in 82 matches. Under his captaincy, CSK secured five IPL titles in the years 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023, as well as two now-defunct Champions League titles.
Since the introduction of the playoff format in the IPL in 2011, CSK, under Dhoni's guidance, consistently reached the final four for five consecutive seasons. Even after CSK's return in 2018 following a two-year ban, during which Dhoni captained the Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016 for 14 games, the streak continued for an additional two years before ending in 2020. This marked the first time in eight seasons that CSK did not qualify for the playoffs. However, the following year, Dhoni led the franchise to its fourth IPL victory, followed by a fifth triumph just last year.
Also read| Two bouncers per over to smart replay system: All you need to know about new rules in IPL 2024
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 "Meet Ruturaj Gaikwad, new captain of defending IPL champion CSK")
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