New Delhi: In a significant move ahead of the upcoming IPL 2024 season, Ruturaj Gaikwad has been appointed as the new captain of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), replacing the legendary MS Dhoni. The announcement was made after Gaikwad attended the captains’ meeting for this year’s competition in Chennai on Thursday.
MS Dhoni, who has been at the helm of CSK since the inception of the Indian Premier League (IPL), relinquishes his captaincy role after leading the team to five IPL titles, making him one of the most successful captains in the history of franchise cricket.
𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞!
The #TATAIPL is here and WE are ready to ROCK & ROLL 🎉🥳🥁
Presenting the 9 captains with PBKS being represented by vice-captain Jitesh Sharma. pic.twitter.com/v3fyo95cWI
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 21, 2024
Gaikwad, a promising right-handed opener, has been an integral part of the CSK squad since his debut in 2020. Having represented the franchise in 52 matches, he has showcased his talent and consistency, particularly in the previous season where he amassed 590 runs in 16 games at an impressive strike rate of 147.50.
In a statement released on their website, CSK expressed confidence in Gaikwad’s leadership abilities, stating, “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. The team looks forward to the upcoming season.”
Dhoni, hailed as one of the greatest cricketers of all time, has had a remarkable journey, transitioning from a railway ticket collector to leading India to numerous ICC trophies, including the ICC T20 World Cup 2007, ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, and ICC Champions Trophy 2013.
Under Dhoni’s captaincy, CSK not only clinched five IPL titles but also secured two Champions League T20 (CLT20) titles, establishing him as the most successful captain in franchise cricket history.
With Gaikwad assuming the captaincy reins, CSK gears up to face Royal Challengers Bangalore in their opening match of IPL 2024 in Chennai on Friday.
CSK Squad for IPL 2024:
Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), MS Dhoni, Moeen Ali, Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Ravindra Jadeja, Ajay Manda, Mukesh Choudhary, Ajinkya Rahane, Shaik Rasheed, Mitchell Santner, Simarjeet Singh, Nishant Sindhu, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana, Rachin Ravindra, Shardul Thakur, Daryl Mitchell, Sameer Rizvi, Mustafizur Rahman, Avanish Rao Aravelly
The inclusion of Gaikwad as captain signifies a new era for CSK, as they seek to continue their legacy of success in the IPL under fresh leadership.
