pgjoia777 'Dhoni Won't Interfere': Ruturaj Reveals Moment He Was Appointed CSK Skipper

Maharashtra skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad shone with the bat in the VHT 2024-25. Photo: X/CSK Maharashtra skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad shone with the bat in the VHT 2024-25. Photo: X/CSK

A franchise like Chennai has always been quite meticulous with respect to planning and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad revealed the moment the CSK captaincy baton was passed onto him from the legendary MS Dhoni. (More Cricket News)

MS Dhoni stepped down as CSK skipper in March  ahead of the 2024 IPL season. The then 42-year-old who led the franchise to five IPL title, continued to be available as a player for the season.

“Just a week before the tournament last year, MS Dhoni came up to me and said, ‘I’m not leading this year—you are," Ruturaj Gaikwad said in exclusive series on JioHotstar called ‘Power Play'.

Gaikwad also revealed he was in a state of shock and was overwhelmed when Dhoni said that the 28-year-old would be leading from the first game.

"From the first game? Are you sure?’ With just a few days to prepare, it was overwhelming. But he assured me," Gaikwad added.

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However, he also said that Dhoni's vote of confidence and trust helped in calming the nerves for the massive challenge ahead.

"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," he further added.

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Talking about MS Dhoni's legacy, “Tamil Nadu has a history of hero worship, so it was only a matter of time before MS Dhoni earned that status, where fans truly idolized him,” Anil Kumble said.

“The bond between MS Dhoni and Chennai is truly heartwarming. It’s rare for a player from another city to be embraced so completely as one of their own,” said Aakash Chopra.

Chennai Super Kings will take on the Mumbai Indians (MI) in their IPL 2025 campaign opener at Chepauk in Chennai on March 23.

CSK IPL 2025 Squad: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Matheesha Pathirana, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni, Devon Conway, Rahul Tripathi Rachin Ravindra, R. Ashwin, Khaleel Ahmed, Noor Ahmadpgjoia777, Vijay Shankar, Sam Curran, Shaik Rasheed, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary, Deepak Hooda, Gurjapneet Singh, Nathan Ellis, Jamie Overton, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Shreyas Gopal, Vansh Bedi, Andre Siddarth