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CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad recalled how, just a week before the IPL 2024 season began, MS Dhoni approached him and gave him the team's captaincy. Having been acquired by CSK in the 2018 season, Ruturaj had his breakthrough season in 2020, played a significant part in CSK's 2021 title win, and has been a consistent member of the team ever since. However, Dhoni pulled off a major shock by giving the 28-year-old the team's captaincy because he chose to continue as the team's wicketkeeper.
Ruturaj Gaikwad recalls Dhoni's message
Ruturaj recalled the incident on "Power-Play," which was streamed on the JioHotstar app. He claimed to be shocked by Dhoni's statement and felt overwhelmed at the time.
"Just a week before the tournament last year, MS Dhoni came up to me and said, ‘I’m not leading this yearyou are.’ I was taken aback, asking, ‘From the first game? Are you sure?’ With just a few days to prepare, it was overwhelming," said Ruturaj.
According to Ruturaj, Dhoni reassured him and told him to make his own decisions on the field. The CSK legend stated that he would only assist him if he believed that the field placements were 50-50, but Dhoni assured him that even then, he was under no obligation to listen to him. Ruturaj said that he valued Dhoni's trust.
"But he assured me, ‘This is your team. You make your own decisions. I won’t interfereexcept 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,” said Ruturaj.
CSK will begin their campaign with home games against the Mumbai Indians and RCB after finishing fifth in the 2024 Indian Premier League and missing out on a playoff spot in the final league game.
