On last Thursday, Chennai Super Kings revealed that MS Dhoni has passed the captain’s baton to Ruturaj Gaikwad. This move likely marks the conclusion of a remarkable era of consistent success, establishing CSK as a dominant force in nearly every IPL season they participated in. They made it to the finals in the IPL’s debut season in 2008, losing to the Rajasthan Royals, and subsequently clinched their first title in 2010.
CSK proceeded to defend their title the following year. Both Dhoni and Rohit Sharma are the only captains to have secured back-to-back IPL victories.
CSK’s stronghold in the initial six years of the IPL is evident as they reached the finals in both 2012 and 2013, losing to Gautam Gambhir’s Kolkata Knight Riders and Rohit Sharma’s Mumbai Indians, respectively.
After reaching the finals consistently, CSK faced their first absence from the final in four years in 2014, losing to Kings XI Punjab in the second qualifier. The following season, they were defeated in the second qualifier by Royal Challengers Bangalore. Subsequently, the team faced a two-year suspension, keeping them out of the league in 2016 and 2017. They made a strong comeback in 2018 with Dhoni leading the team and clinched the title that season by defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight wickets.
After securing their fourth title by defeating KKR in the 2021 final, Dhoni stepped down as captain, passing the leadership to Ravindra Jadeja for the next season. However, with CSK losing six out of eight matches under Jadeja’s captaincy, Dhoni resumed the role. Despite this change, CSK failed to advance past the league stage for only the second time. Nevertheless, Ruturaj Gaikwad made his debut during that season.
In 2023, Dhoni led CSK to another title victory, with Jadeja striking a dramatic six and a four off the final two balls to seal the win.
Dhoni is not merely a name, but an emotion. His decision to step down as captain and retire from the game marks the end of a glorious era for cricket enthusiasts who have grown up admiring his iconic helicopter shots and lightning-fast stumpings. CSK, one of the most beloved teams in the tournament, will surely miss Dhoni’s leadership. While fans are saddened by his departure, they are looking forward to cherishing the remaining games and hoping for a memorable season to give the ‘Captain Cool’ a fitting farewell. CSK started the tournament with a win, and fans are eagerly anticipating Dhoni’s new role.
BBK
