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NEW DELHI: Mahendra Singh Dhoni has decided to step down as captain of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and has passed on the baton to Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of the upcoming season of Indian Premier League (IPL), marking the end of a glorious era.
“MS Dhoni has handed over Chennai Super Kings’ captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of the start of IPL 2024. Ruturaj has been an integral part of Chennai Super Kings since 2019 and has played 52 matches in IPL during this period. The team looks forward to the upcoming season,” CSK said in a statement.
The CSK fans, commonly referred to as the 'Yellow Army', will be taken aback by this sudden decision as MS Dhoni has had a successful stint, delivering five IPL titles under his captaincy, thereby earning him the title of 'Thalaiva' (Tamil for leader).
“Presenting @ChennaiIPL’s Captain – @Ruutu1331,” the IPL posted on its X handle shortly after releasing a picture of all captains posing with the IPL trophy.
Gaikwad took part in the pre-captains photoshoot and rubbed shoulders with the skippers of other franchises.
It will be the first time that the Pune-based opener will lead the star-studded CSK franchise in the high-octane tournament.
Born in 1997, Ruturaj made his IPL debut back in 2020, and swiftly stood out for his stellar performances, based on which, his spot was cemented in the team.
Gaikwad's stunning display with the bat for the 'men in yellow' created a strong impression so much so that he was retained by CSK in 2022 edition for Rs 6 crore.
Characterized by his elegance, the opening batsman has been an integral part of Chennai Super Kings since 2019 and has already 52 IPL matches under his belt during this period.
The dashing opener enjoyed a dream run last year, scoring 590 runs in 16 games at an impressive strike rate of 147.50.
With this change of guard, CSK will hope to usher in a new era of youngsters in their squad while looking up to the veterans for proper guidance in what seems like an intriguing combination of youth and experience.