CSK vs RCB IPL 2024: MS Dhoni out, Chennai Super Kings will play with new captain

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have appointed Ruturaj Gaikwad as their captain for Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, taking over from legend Mahendra Sing Dhoni (MS Dhoni). The announcement was made on the eve of the opening match of the tournament  defending champions CSK against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at Chepauk on Friday.

This is the second time Dhoni has relinquished the captaincy he handed over the role to Ravindra Jadeja in 2022, but took it back after CSK’s miserable start and unless he and the management take another U-turn, it will mark the end of his epic tenure as captain.

MS Dhoni, who announced his retirement from international cricket in August 2022, but continues to play in the IPL, is the only captain from the original batch of 2008 to remain captain even after all these years. Some of the greats of the game have retired along the way, others have stepped down, but even as the IPL entered its teenage years, the only constant remained Dhoni and his captaincy.

And at the age of 42, as Dhoni prepares for his IPL swansong, it truly marks the end of an era. MS Dhoni has handed over the captaincy of Chennai Super Kings to Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of the start of IPL 2024. Rutheraj Gaikwad has been an integral part of Chennai Super Kings since 2019 and has played 52 matches in the IPL during this period. CSK said in a statement that the team is looking forward to the upcoming season.

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MS Dhoni holds the record as the IPL’s most capped captain, finishing with 235 matches, winning 128 and losing 82.During his tenure, Dhoni led CSK to five IPL titles – 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021 and 2023. Since the introduction of the playoff format in the IPL in 2011, CSK under Dhoni has made it to the final 4 in five consecutive seasons.

Even after CSK’s return in 2018 after a two-year ban MS Dhoni captained Rising Pune Supergiant for 14 matches in 2016 – the streak stretched to two years before being halted in 2020. It was the first time in eight seasons that CSK failed to qualify, adding last year for the fifth time. The first made up for it later in the year when Dhoni took the franchise to its fourth IPL win.

The IPL 2023 was the perfect setting for Dhoni to call it a day, but for the sake of his fans, be in awe of coming back for another year. He underwent knee surgery immediately after the season to fit in time. In what promises to be the ultimate IPL, Dhoni promises to take his fans on a trip down memory lane with his long looks and hopefully even longer sixes.

Also Read: CSK Captain MS Dhoni IPL 2024 New Role Revealed

The baton passes to Gaikwad, who has been one of CSK’s most decisive and consistent batsmen. With 1797 runs from 52 matches at an average of 39.06 and a strike rate of 135.52, Gaikwad holds the record for CSK’s seventh-highest run-scorer, and that included a dominant outing of 635 runs in IPL 2021, which won the Orange Cap for the season. Ruturaj Gaikwad led Maharashtra in Vijay Hazare and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy but this will surely be the biggest test of their captaincy career.

Ruturaj Gaikwad led Chennai Super Kings will face Royal Challengers Bangalore in opening match of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.