It is highly-likely that IPL 2024 could be MS Dhoni's last T20 championship. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain has not made any statement about retiring from the league as yet but it is also true that he might not be able to carry on for another year as his body may stop giving him the much-needed support. Dhoni already has a troubled knee and has been seen playing with strap on it in previous editions.
Dhoni will be 43 years old in July this year. How he and CSK go in IPL 2024 could give better answers to him as far as leaving or staying is concerned. At the same time, it is important for CSK to find the new leader. In 2022, an experiment took place as Ravindra Jadeja was named as the captain just before the league was to start. However, after a few losses, Dhoni was renamed the captain of the side.
CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan has finally broken silence over who can lead CSK after Dhoni calls it quits. Viswanathan says the next captain will not be decided by him or any other top CSK official but the captain and vice-captain will take this call. “See, there have been internal talks. But, Mr. Srinivasan has made it very clear. Let's not talk about captain and vice-captain appointments. Let's leave it to the coach and the captain to decide. Let them decide and convey the information. to me, and then I will convey it to you all. He has said that 'the captain and the coach will decide and give us a directive, till then let's all keep quiet',” Viswanathan told former CSK cricketer S Badrinath in the latter's YouTube show.
Among the candidates who can lead Chennai after Dhoni is done are Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ajinkya Rahane, Daryl Mitchell and Moeen Ali. The biggest contender of them all is Gaikwad, who is young and is also growing into a mature cricketer. He has also spent four years in CSK and has enough experience to get the baton from Captain Cool.
Signing an everlasting bond with the fans! _#WhistlePodu __ pic.twitter.com/NCEFs6M587 — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 13, 2024
He also underlined the importance of qualifying for the knockouts first in IPL 2024. Viswanathan said that CSK's planning is simple: target the knockouts and see how it goes from there. “We have always focused on qualifying for the knockouts. That's our first aim. After that, it depends on the performance on that day. We are following that even now. Before every season, MS Dhoni tells us 'First let us concentrate on league games. We will look to qualify for the knockouts. Yes, the pressure is there. But over the years, because of our consistency, most of the players are used to this pressure,” he added.