M.S. Dhoni has stepped down as the captain of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) with Ruturaj Gaikwad taking the role of the skipper for the upcoming 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, as confirmed by the team’s website. “MS Dhoni has handed over Chennai Super Kings’ captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of the start of TATA IPL 2024. Ruturaj has been an integral part of Chennai Super Kings since 2019 and has played 52 matches in IPL during this period,” CSK stated in an official announcement.
This development follows speculation surrounding Thala Dhoni possibly hanging up his boots after the upcoming IPL season, especially given his recent knee surgery following CSK’s triumph in the 2023 season. And if that’s not enough, MSD’s new appearance, with a longer hairline, has transported his fans back to the days when he first donned the Indian jersey, sparking suspicions that it might signal the completion of a grand cycle.
And with yet another bombshell, the news that Dhoni won’t helm CSK in the IPL 2024 has left his admirers in tears, flooding social media with heartfelt messages, ‘Thank you, captain.’
While many hoped to witness their Captain Cool lead one last charge, others pondered if this was the final curtain call, believing there could be no clearer sign that Dhoni is here for just one last season before bidding adieu to the game he has so elegantly dominated.
But hold on, didn’t Dhoni himself hint at a ‘new role’ in his recent Facebook post on March 4? “Can’t wait for the new season and the new ‘role’. Stay tuned!” he cryptically wrote. And now, with the recent developments, it seems there’s more to that statement than meets the eye. Or is there? Time will tell…
As for the upcoming match, the spirited CSK team, riding high on their 2023 victory, is all set to clash with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the season opener on March 22, Friday.
And fans are already on the edge of their seats, eagerly awaiting the ‘Thala Darshan’, after all, it’s going to be a spectacle worth every ball bowled and every cheer yelled!
