MS Dhoni relinquishes CSK captaincy ahead of IPL 2024; Ruturaj Gaikwad appointed as successor. Under Dhoni’s leadership, CSK clinched five IPL titles, making him the most successful IPL captain with a staggering 133 wins.
Ruturaj Gaikwad assumes the captaincy for Super Kings ahead of the TATA IPL 2024 kickoff. Since 2019, Gaikwad has been an integral part of Chennai Super Kings, featuring in 52 IPL matches. The team eagerly anticipates the upcoming season with Gaikwad at the helm.
Gaikwad, who boasts six ODIs and 19 T20 appearances for India, made his debut for CSK in 2020 and has since contributed significantly in 52 games for the five-time IPL champions.
The stylish opener had a standout performance last season, accumulating 590 runs in 16 matches at an impressive strike rate of 147.50.
With Dhoni expected to retire at the season’s end, the franchise prioritized a seamless transition in his presence as a player, as per a PTI report on March 21.
End of an Era
Ever since the inaugural season of the Indian Premiere League (IPL), the 17th season of the IPL marks the first season where neither Rohit, Kohli, or Dhoni is the captain of their teams. While the king of kings Virat Kohli stepped down as the RCB captain last year to his South African counterpart Faf Duplesis. Respectively, The Indian skipper and the long-standing MI captain Rohit Sharma was replaced by Hardik Pandya earlier this year, a decision that didn’t sit well with the fans, simply put they were furious. Now just before the opening match between CSK and RCB, Chennai Super Kings have announced that after leading their side for 16 long years, MS Dhoni will step down as the captain. With Dhoni expected to retire at the season’s end, the franchise is betting big on Gaikwad. Will Rituraj Gaikwad be able to fill the big shoes? Only time will tell.