CSK’s Transition from MS Dhoni to Ruturaj Gaikwad: A Seamless Journey In TATA IPL 2024
The transition from MS Dhoni to Ruturaj Gaikwad as the captain of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has been seamless, reflecting a continuation of the team’s legacy and culture.
Early in this year’s IPL, CSK‘s new captain states that he doesn’t think he is batting any differently.
The former captain of the Chennai Super Kings, MS Dhoni, had such a deep bond with this group that he broke down when discussing them and expressed a desire to finish his career on their field. Ruturaj Gaikwad, the new captain of CSK, appears to be of the same caliber. The motivation behind his captaincy is his bond with this team.
Speaking following CSK’s victory over Kolkata Knight Riders, Gaikwad stated he doesn’t want to make any changes because, at the moment, he is the one in control. He added that Dhoni had approached him about captaining CSK in the 2022 Indian Premier League, and that in 2023, following each game, he held a meeting with coach Stephen Fleming to talk about what he would have done as captain.
Gaikwad declared, “I don’t want to be a specific kind of character.” “I want to let things happen as they naturally flow. Maintain the CSK’s culture essentially. That’s how I feel. I want to keep what we have been doing and the success we have had just as it is. That’s what has been going on since I joined CSK, so I just want to go there, make my own decisions, and give as much freedom as I can. Nothing much is changing, and I’m having fun.”
CSK purchased Gaikwad for the 2019 IPL. He didn’t participate in any of the games that season and had a sluggish start in 2020, but the squad persevered in supporting him, and they have both benefited ever since. His performances have helped them win two titles while he has worn the orange cap. He wants to provide people with the support he has received over the years.
How Gaikwad found out he was going to be the captain of CSK
In the middle of a training session with Dhoni, Gaikwad was informed of the additional responsibility he would have this season.
“To be honest, I don’t feel like we’ve had really in-depth talks.It was quite chilly. I would say just one chat. We were just practicing when he came over and filled me in on everything. Naturally, everyone else would consider them to be large shoes to fill, but I feel like I would always be true to myself and I would like to carry on the tradition that has been going strong.
“I recall him telling me in 2022 that, while it’s unlikely that you’ll lead after that year, you should be prepared for it. Obviously, I was always prepared for it after that. I wasn’t surprised, shocked, or in the dark about it. I am aware of how to manage the game. I was doing this for the state squad, so I know how the game goes, which changes [to make], and what to do when.
Fleming and I used to talk about captaincy after every game even last year. We would talk about how I felt, what changes, how bowling changes, and what I thought we should do. We had one-on-one talks during every game, which was incredibly beneficial.
Has Gaikwad’s batting effected being captain?
Gaikwad has a strike percentage of 117.42 and has scored 155 runs in five innings. This year, he was forced to collaborate with Rachin Ravindra, an IPL rookie. Has he had to bat differently as a result of any of these changes?
“There are certain things where the outside people don’t really get to know,” Gaikwad stated. “The three or four games we started last year were played in Ahmedabad, Chennai, Mumbai, and Chennai once more. Those were all flat-wicket games. Thus, in my opinion, the pitch is quite important.
“I thought I had a decent start to the season and got a good ball [out for 15] in the first game. The second game was the same, I believe. I had a strong start and had to pick up some speed since you usually make a mistake there (out for 46). And in the next game, I felt even better—the second ball was pretty much useless [out for 1].
“There are periods of time when you get good balls. There are moments when you are extremely unlucky. There are moments when everything seems to be falling into place, like a good shot that ends up in the hands of the fielder. Therefore, you actually don’t need to consider that. I was never really concerned since I always thought I was in terrific shape, starting extremely well, and in a nice mentality.
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“And hitting is one thing; captaincy is quite another. I believe it was a similar scenario when I played my first game for CSK, or when I scored my first fifty runs there. We were chasing 140 runs, and I always wanted to play to the very end and ensure that I finished the innings in the same manner. Whether I am captain or not, nothing really changes.”
Gaikwad’s memories of Dhoni
On Monday, with three required to win, Ravindra Jadeja appeared as though he would take the field. All of a sudden, as he was almost ready to step outside in his full uniform, he simply turned around and returned to his seat. Everything was a tease. Even though he knew Thala was going to be next, he couldn’t resist the opportunity to rile up the audience and his teammates, who erupted in laughter as they realized what was happening.
When Dhoni arrived at Chepauk for his opening IPL innings, the crowd went crazy. Andre Russell, fielding on the boundary, had to cover his ears because to the loud noise.
“It was kind of a hard scenario, I was genuinely thinking. He was facing the final ball of the [17th] over, as far as I knew. His chances of taking a single and going up against the next over again were reduced. And I would always believe that if I had the chance to grab a dot ball, I would have taken advantage of the opportunity to play with two or three dot balls while he was playing.
However, it did bring up some memories for me. Even after my first fifty, we managed to complete the match as a team. It was my first time batting against him. I was able to share the 22 yards with him right away as he was entering, so it’s evident that I had that memory in my head.”
