MS Dhoni's trust meant a lot to me: CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) saw a huge leadership evolution when MS Dhoni, the legendary captain, gave the authority over the control to Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of the 2024 edition. The young opener was caught by surprise as the discussions started right after the team's IPL winning season in 2023.

The start to Maharashtra batter's captaincy career wasn't a great one, and it also saw a dip in form on the individual front. CSK failed to qualify for the playoffs in a rare miss, after losing a do-or-die game to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). However, that hasn't forced the Super Kings think tank to look at other options, and the team has retained the faith in Ruturaj for captaincy in IPL 2025 as well.

“Just a week before the tournament last year, MS Dhoni came up to me and said, ‘I’m not leading this year—you are.’ I was taken aback and asked, ‘From the first game? Are you sure?’ With just a few days to prepare, it felt overwhelming. But he reassured me, saying, ‘This is your team. You make your own decisions. I won’t interfere—except when field placements are a 50-50 call. Even then, it’s not a compulsion to follow my advice.’ That trust meant a lot to me," Gaikwad expressed via JioHotstar. 

When Chennai picked star all-rounder Shane Watson, it came as an unexpected inclusion, as the cricketer had a poor stint with Bengaluru in the previous edition. However, Dhoni's call to have Watto worked wonders for CSK, as he made contributions across departments in the Chennai camp, marking one of the better comebacks in IPL history.

With the amount of trust shown in him by Dhoni, Watson compared a similar situation as Gaikwad is now the leader of the pack.

“I was a bit surprised that Dhoni handed over the captaincy to Ruturaj, considering his incredible leadership skills. But he understands the importance of a seamless transition, and it’s better for that to happen while he’s still around to guide the team. The incredible part is that, even at 42, MS Dhoni is still delivering moments of brilliance. Though his role is more limited now, his impact on the team—and especially the fans—remains invaluable,” Watson acknowledged.

Aakash Chopra, the cricketer-turned-commentator, also shared his insights on the Ranchi-born not being the captain of the team anymore. Chopra also opined on Dhoni's batting position in the previous season, where he mostly batted No. 8 or lower.

“When your season doesn't go well, people start questioning—Dhoni is batting low, Dhoni is no longer captain—was he just occupying a place? Personally, I don’t see it that way. I think this is a big part of Chennai Super Kings’ and Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s strategy—you have to hold the hand of the next king in line.”

CSK will open their IPL 2025 campaign against Mumbai Indians on Sunday, March 23. The tournament openers for the both the rivals will be an El Clásico fixture, and Dhoni is reportedly said to be taking the field in the tournament for one last time before calling it quits.