MS Dhoni is stepping back into the captain’s role for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the upcoming 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. This change comes after regular captain Ruturaj Gaikwad had to sit out because of an elbow injury, leaving Dhoni, who’s been a key figure for the team, to take charge once again. It’s worth noting that Dhoni had previously led CSK to a remarkable tie for the most titles in the league’s history, scoring five championships before passing the captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja in 2022. Unfortunately for Jadeja, his stint as captain didn’t go as planned, and he had to hand back the captaincy to Dhoni mid-season after the team struggled.
Before the 2024 season started, Dhoni had transferred the captain’s duties to Gaikwad. But, with Gaikwad out now, the team looks to Dhoni once again to steer the ship. Murali Kartik, discussing the situation on Cricbuzz, remarked that CSK had aimed to support Jadeja in the preceding year, but obviously, that didn’t pan out as everyone hoped. The script came back to MS Dhoni. God writes different scripts for him, Kartik noted, pointing to Dhoni’s long-standing connection with the team. Overall, CSK aren’t just losing their captain, they’re missing out on their top batsman too, he added, showing how Gaikwad’s absence puts the team in a tight spot.
This will be the first time since IPL 2023 that Dhoni takes on the captain’s role again, after having led CSK to victory in the final against the Gujarat Titans last season at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. CSK’s coach Stephen Fleming has confirmed that Dhoni, with all his experience and history, will once again act as the captain for the team. We have an uncapped player, MS Dhoni, who will take over as captain for the remainder of the IPL. He didn’t hesitate to step up and help guide us through this challenge, Fleming told ESPNcricinfo.
When it comes to Dhoni’s leadership, the numbers speak for themselves. He has an extensive record as an IPL captain, earning 133 wins out of 226 matches, which translates to a win rate of nearly 59%. Not only has he led CSK to five IPL trophies in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023, but he’s also a powerhouse with the bat. Dhoni currently stands as the sixth-highest run-scorer in IPL history, amassing 5,346 runs at an average of 39.31 with a strike rate of over 137, including 24 half-centuries and a highest score of 84.
This season, Dhoni has played five innings, scoring 103 runs with a solid average of 51.50 and a striking rate that eclipses 153.73, with his best score being 30. However, CSK finds itself in a tough spot, currently sitting in ninth place in the league standings and suffering defeats in four out of their first five matches. Losing their captain and key batsman is a major blow for the five-time champions and leaves them looking for answers as they hope to turn their season around.
