‘He makes 99% of decisions’ – MS Dhoni tells why CSK made Ruturaj Gaikwad their captain

MS Dhoni and Ruturaj Gaikwad (Source: BCCI)

Chennai Super Kings started their campaign with a great win over Mumbai Indians, under the leadership of captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. CSK legend and former skipper MS Dhoni also explained the reason behind giving the young Maharashtra batter the captaincy ahead of the IPL 2024, and why the change had to be made going forward.

There has been a lot of debate on Ruturaj Gaikwad’s captaincy after CSK failed to qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2024. Despite a transfer in leadership, a certain proportion of people believed that Dhoni himself was making all the decisions, while Ruturaj let the ‘Captain Cool’ be his guide.

However, the former CSK skipper has revealed the reason behind passing on the reins to the 28-year-old top-order batter where he also talked about the plans for the longer period and how well he has done as a player and a skipper.

“You have to look at the long-term picture. More often than not, the batsmen who are part of your core squad and do well for you are the ones you can rely on for a longer period. With bowlers, especially fast bowlers, there is always a tendency for injuries. Ruturaj has been part of us for quite some time. He has done well for us. His temperament is very good—he’s very calm, very composed. He and Fleming get along very well. So those were the reasons we considered him for leadership,” he said via JioHotstar.

I’ll try to stay away as much as possible: Dhoni

The Ranchi-born also went on to mention how much his involvement in the game is, and the kind of role he plays in handling the team as well as the players within the Chennai squad.

“We were quite sure Ruturaj would be good for us. After IPL last year, I almost immediately told him, ‘90% you will lead next season, so start preparing yourself mentally’. Before the start of the tournament, I also told him, ‘If I give you advice, it doesn’t mean you have to follow it. I will try to stay away as much as possible.’ During the season, a lot of people speculated that I was making the decisions in the background. But the fact is, he was making 99% of the decisions. The most important calls—bowling changes, field placements—were all his. I was just helping him out. He did a brilliant job of handling the players,” MS Dhoni concluded.

Disclaimer: The information presented in this news article is based on the author’s insights, analysis, and perspective. Readers are encouraged to evaluate the details thoughtfully and draw their own conclusions.

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