MS Dhoni is a man of few words who believes in action. As the world prepared to welcome him back to the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League, the veteran cricketer stepped down from his captaincy role.
Ruturaj Gaikwad will now lead the defending champions in IPL 2024. This news was revealed after Dhoni was absent from the captain's photoshoot, with Gaikwad representing the five-time winners. CSK has confirmed that Dhoni has agreed to hand over the captain's armband to the opening batter amidst widespread speculation.
The franchise's head coach, Stephen Fleming, addressed the media regarding Dhoni's sudden departure from the post:
“It was MS Dhoni’s call, and everyone got emotional when he informed that he is leaving the captaincy. After controlling their emotions, the players went to Ruturaj to congratulate him.”
The previous season was challenging for MSD as he was leading the team while carrying a knee injury, and the added responsibility of wicket-keeping took a toll on his body. Despite this, he persevered and led the team to their fifth title. However, he underwent surgery after the season ended.
Dhoni and Fleming have had a long and successful partnership as coach and captain. Going forward, the former New Zealand player will need to work hard to get the best out of the players in the upcoming season.