The leadership change was necessitated by an unfortunate injury to regular skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, who sustained a hairline fracture in his elbow. Gaikwad’s injury occurred during a match against the Rajasthan Royals, where he was struck on the elbow but valiantly continued to score 63 runs. Despite participating in subsequent games against Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings, medical assessments eventually ruled him out for the rest of the season.
“If MS Dhoni has to play for CSK, he must be captain of CSK. Because MS Dhoni, the captain, is a different beast,” Ganguly said just before CSK’s announcement, as quoted by PTI.
Dhoni’s return to CSK captaincy comes at a critical phase of their campaign, with the five-time champions reeling from four consecutive defeats. This will also mark Dhoni’s first match as skipper since leading CSK to their record-equalling fifth title in 2023.
“MS Dhoni can still get sixes. We saw that in the other game. Obviously, he’s 43 years old. We don’t expect to see the MS Dhoni what I saw in 2005. That’s quite natural. But I think he’s still got the power to clear and hit,” said Ganguly further.
Dhoni returns as captain on Friday
CSK’s upcoming fixture against the Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday at home presents an opportunity to reverse their fortunes under Dhoni’s leadership.
Dhoni has captained CSK in 14 seasons since the IPL’s inception in 2008, excluding the period between 2016 and 2017, when the team was suspended. Under his captaincy, CSK has clinched the IPL title five times, with the most recent victory in 2023.
His strategic acumen and calm demeanour have been instrumental in CSK’s consistent performances, making them one of the most successful franchises in IPL history.
As CSK prepares to face the Kolkata Knight Riders, the team and its supporters will be hopeful that Dhoni’s return to the helm will usher in a resurgence of form and brings the side’s campaign back on track.
