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Speculation about the future captain of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) after MS Dhoni has finally been addressed by former Indian all-rounder Suresh Raina. This comes just days before the IPL 2024 season kicks off, with defending champions CSK facing off against Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the blockbuster opener at the Chepauk stadium on March 22. Dhoni, arguably one of the greatest captains, led CSK to a record-equalling fifth IPL title last season. However, as he approaches the fag end of his illustrious IPL career, talks around his potential successor is rife.
IPL 2024 could be MS Dhoni's last dance
At 42, all signs point towards Dhoni retiring after the conclusion of the 2024 IPL season. His dedication to the team was evident last year as he played the entire season with a heavily strapped knee following surgery. This resilience came after he initially stepped down as CSK captain for the 2022 season. However, the captaincy role eventually returned to Dhoni mid-season after Ravindra Jadeja's stint at the helm, which unfortunately coincided with CSK's ninth-place finish in the 10-team tournament.
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Raina Throws His Hat in the Ring for CSK Captaincy
The question on everyone's mind – who will succeed MS Dhoni as captain of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK)? In a recent interaction on Jio Cinema, former CSK star Suresh Raina weighed in on the hot topic. Raina believes Ruturaj Gaikwad, the team's explosive young opener, has the potential to be a great leader for the Yellow Brigade.
"The biggest question is who will be their next captain? Even if Dhoni stepped away as captain, he would be there in the dugout as a mental toughness coach or just for his presence. But who does MS Dhoni have his eyes on? I think Ruturaj Gaikwad will be a good option," Raina said.
MS Dhoni's future with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) remains a hot topic. While Dhoni himself has hinted that the 2024 season might be a farewell gift to his fans, there are those who believe he has more to offer. CSK batting coach Mike Hussey recently reported that Dhoni is looking sharp in practice sessions, and former teammate Suresh Raina has even voiced his desire to see Dhoni continue playing for another two to three years. With Raina suggesting a young captain like Ruturaj Gaikwad as Dhoni's successor, it seems CSK is preparing for both possibilities – a potential Dhoni extension or a smooth transition to a new leader.
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"This year is probably more important for CSK than MS Dhoni because we will see who he is going to select as his deputy and probably say, 'You handle this now. I've been looking after the team since 2008'. He is 42 years old now. I would like to see him play for five more years or at least 2-3 years," Raina concluded.
CSK's schedule for IPL 2024's first leg:
CSK vs Royal Challengers Bangalore - March 22 - Chennai - 7:30 PM IST
CSK vs Gujarat Titans - March 26 - Chennai - 7:30 PM IST
CSK vs Delhi Capitals - March 31 - Visakhapatnam - 7:30 PM IST
CSK vs Sunrisers Hyderabad - April 5 - Hyderabad - 7:30 PM IST
CSK Team's Squad IPL 2024
| Wicketkeepers | Batters | All-rounders | Bowlers |
| MS Dhoni (c) | Ruturaj Gaikwad | Moeen Ali (ENG) | Deepak Chahar |
| Devon Conway (NZ) | Shaik Rasheed | Shivam Dube | Tushar Deshpande |
| Avanish Rao Aravelly | Ajinkya Rahane | Rajvardhan Hangargekar | Matheesha Pathirana (SL) |
| Sameer Rizvi | Ravindra Jadeja | Simarjeet Singh | |
| Mitchell Santner (NZ) | Prashant Solanki | ||
| Ajay Mandal | Maheesh Theekshana (SL) | ||
| Nishant Sindhu | Mustafizur Rahman (BAN) | ||
| Rachin Ravindra (NZ) | Mukesh Choudhary | ||
| Daryl Mitchell (NZ) | |||
| Shardul Thakur |
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