Chennai Super Kings stalwart MS Dhoni recently came forward and talked about the conversation that he had with CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad before the latter was given the captaincy of the side before the start of the IPL (Indian Premier League) 2024 season.
Coming forward to talk about his conversations with Gaikwad, Dhoni dismissed the speculations that he was the one who was taking most of CSK’s decisions in the IPL 2024.
Dhoni revealed that he indeed had a conversation with Gaikwad and told him that he would like to stay away as far as possible from making decisions.
"Ruturaj has been part of us for quite some time. His temperament is very good, he's very calm, very composed. So those were the reasons we considered him for leadership. 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,” Dhoni told JioStar.
"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 per cent 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,” he added.
It is interesting to note that Ruturaj Gaikwad’s captaincy has gotten off to a good start in the IPL 2025. The side took on arch-rivals Mumbai Indians in their first game of the season and managed to register an emphatic victory.
Both sides faced off in game 3 of the tournament at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on March 23. Bowling first, Chennai Super Kings limited Mumbai Indians to a score of 155 runs, and managed to chase down the target comfortably thanks to Rachin Ravindra and Ruturaj Gaikwad.