MS Dhoni announced his decision to step down as CSK captain on the eve of the IPL 2024 season opener.
New Delhi: 22 March 2024
In the IPL 2024 season, MS Dhoni will focus solely on his role as a wicket-keeper batter role after stepping down as captain of the Chennai Super Kings. Ruturaj Gaikwad is set to take over the leadership.
Despite being a widely anticipated move, the decision sparked a wave of emotions among fans. Inside the CSK dressing room, eyes quickly filled with tears as the ‘Thala’ disclosed his decision to step down as skipper before the season opener.
Stephen Fleming, head coach of Chennai Super Kings, described the scenes in the dressing room as Dhoni revealed the news.
“(When Dhoni shared the news), it was an emotional moment. Tears flowed freely in the dressing room. Not a single person was unaffected. Last time (when CSK changed the captain), we weren’t as prepared for MS to step down and for a change in leadership,” Fleming recalled.
“Congratulations were also extended to Ruturaj. He may not be the most outspoken, but he has the leadership qualities to steer us in the right direction.”
Dhoni stepping down as CSK skipper isn’t new; he did the same two years ago when Ravindra Jadeja assumed his role. However, that move didn’t pan out well, leading to Dhoni’s reinstatement as skipper during the season. Fleming, nonetheless, foresees a different scenario this time.
A few years ago, the main issue was that we weren’t really ready for MS to step down,” Fleming recalled. “That event pushed us as a leadership unit and coaches to start thinking about the future without him. Before that, it wasn’t something we had actively thought about, but it made us realize the importance. Consequently, we’ve been working hard to avoid repeating any mistakes from that period. We’re making sure that our approach to leadership is clear and open,” Fleming pointed out.
