At the start of IPL 2025, just about every CSK fan would have wished, in their hearts only, that favorite MS Dhoni should be leading the team in the tournament. And their wish was finally granted after it was confirmed on Thursday, that skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was out of the league due to an elbow fracture. Now, who would really mind ”Thala’ leading?
MS Dhoni Back as CSK Captain, Blessing or Bane?
A veteran who has led the franchise in 235 matches, won 142, lost only 90, and more importantly took them to five titles — what else matters for the fans? Especially given the team has been poor under Gaikwad this season, where in 5 matches they have only won a solitary match. After all, they still have an outside chance to make it to the IPL 2025 playoffs.
STAR SPORTS POSTER FOR CAPTAIN MS DHONI
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) April 11, 2025pic.twitter.com/4zpCVuEYUS
But we feel, this is not the best possible alternate to Gaikwad, but a step backwards only. Let us all admit, MS Dhoni is way past his prime, despite getting a few runs under his belt, and his glovework behind the stumps isn’t the same as it used to be, till a few years back. Time-and-again in the last couple of seasons, there have been indications from his side, that he just isn’t ‘in the zone’.
| Captain | Matches | Won | Lost |
| MS Dhoni | 235 | 142 | 90 |
| Ruturaj Gaikwad | 19 | 8 | 11 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 8 | 2 | 6 |
| Suresh Raina | 6 | 2 | 3 |
A Step Backwards by Chennai Management?
Classic example is Dhoni coming to bat at No. 9 against RCB, where CSK were chasing 197. The 43-year-old batted even below R Ashwin.. and that just didn’t make sense at all. Last year, in one of the matches against PBKS too, he had batted at that position. To break this down further, in 2023 he batted only 57 deliveries in 16 matches, then 73 deliveries in 2024, and now 67 now in 5 matches.
| Year | Matches | Deliveries Faced | Runs |
| 2020/21 | 14 | 172 | 200 |
| 2021 | 16 | 107 | 114 |
| 2022 | 14 | 188 | 232 |
| 2023 | 16 | 57 | 104 |
| 2024 | 14 | 73 | 161 |
| 2025 | 5 | 67 | 103 |
Clearly, the team needs more from him, and if he cannot or doesn’t want to, then for him to be leading the side is problematic. That when, Chennai is missing some solid batters at the top, with the likes of Rachin Ravindra, Deepak Hooda, Rutu to some extent, and Rahul Tripathi failing. There is no doubt that he is tactically very sound, but what about the future line of CSK leaders?
Where Are the Future Leaders?
This move is bound to hurt CSK in the long-run, as the team has failed to identify a leadership group for the future. Apart from appointing Rutu as the skipper, there was just no one in the team, who was being groomed or is being, to become a vice-captain, or a future captain, or an alternate in case of an emergency like this. You never know, Dhoni might turn things around for them again but what really happens to the side, when the time for transition, and the moment of MSD’s retirement comes.
The average age of this squad is 29, where the most-experienced are well above 30, and the ones in their 20s, mostly don’t even fit in the scheme of things for playing XIs. Given their rich legacy of winning trophies, the team needs to really focus on building future stars and even leaders too, and just not bank on MSD.
Editor's Pick
Cricket
Why Prasidh Krishna is better choice than Harshit Rana in India's XI for England Tests
Top Stories
