Just a day before Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024's opener, MS Dhoni left everyone surprised with his decision to leave Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) captaincy. CSK franchise in a press release broke the news on March 21 that Dhoni has stepped down from the CSK captaincy which saw Ruturaj Gaikwad replacing him as new leader of the five-time champions. Dhoni's absence at the captain's photoshoot, with young opener Ruturaj Gaikwad taking his place left everyone guessing. But moments after it was out and open that CSK stalwart won't be leading his team in the IPL 2024, which could also be his last dance.
Meanwhile, ahead of the IPL 2024 opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Fleming, in the pre-match press conference, revealed that how the players within the CSK camp reacted when informed about Dhoni's decision to relinquish captaincy.
Fleming said that everyone got emotional after Dhoni informed that he is leaving CSK captaincy.
“It was MS Dhoni’s call, and everyone got emotional when he informed that he is leaving the captaincy. After controlling their emotions, the players went to Ruturaj to congratulate him. He decided after a lot of consideration while looking at the future. The timing of his move was right, and the Ruturaj will be groomed,” Fleming said.
The 2023 season undoubtedly tested Dhoni's resilience. Leading CSK to a fifth IPL title while battling a knee injury and managing wicket-keeping duties took a heavy toll on his body. Despite the pain, Dhoni continued playing and brought another title for the CSK franchise. However, he underwent surgery after the season to address the knee issue.
This upcoming season presents a new challenge for both Dhoni and head coach Fleming. Their long and successful partnership as captain and coach has delivered remarkable results. However, with Dhoni stepping down from captaincy, Fleming will need to adapt his strategies to get the best out of the players and continue CSK's winning legacy.
Notably, CSK addressed some key areas during the IPL 2024 mini-auction. They secured promising young talent like Rachin Ravindra (Rs. 1.8 crore) and veterans like Shardul Thakur (Rs. 4 crore) to bolster their squad. They also made a big buy with New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell, acquiring him for Rs. 14 crore. Sameer Rizvi (Rs. 8.40 crore) and Mustafizur Rahman (Rs. 2 crore) add depth to the batting and bowling attacks respectively, while young Indian talent Avanish Rao Aravelly (Rs. 20 lakh) joins the team.
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However, CSK's preparations have been hampered by injuries to two key players. Opener Devon Conway, who emerged as their leading run-scorer last season with a phenomenal 672 runs in 16 matches, will be out due to injury. Another blow came with the loss of fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana, who impressed everyone by taking 19 wickets in just 12 matches last year.
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