TATA IPL 2024: Mahendra Singh Dhoni is not just a name. But he is an emotion for all the fans of Chennai Super Kings. He has carried the CSK team forward since the first season of the Indian Premier League.
Mahi is the only skipper who has led the Chennai Super Kings franchise since 2008 and he has the same IPL Titles as Rohit Sharma. HITMAN and MSD have won six trophies each.
In the last season, Chennai Super Kings won their sixth trophy of this cash-rich league tournament, and they are the defending champions of the TATA IPL 2024 edition.
In this year’s auction, Super Kings had brought two of the best all-rounders and both the players were from the Kiwi nation, New Zealand.
Rachin Ravindra, the young sensation who did very well in the ODI World Cup 2023 was picked up by the CSK franchise and Daryl Mitchell, who is also had a good fifty overs ICC tournament will also play for the CSK franchise in the TATA IPL 2024.
These two players are good enough to replace Ben Stokes in the playing XI of the Yellow Army.
With that, Dhoni and his team also have Shardul Thakur, who has played for the CSK franchise previously as well. Mustafizur Rahman, Sameer Rizvi and Avinash Rao Aravelly are the other cricket players who were brought in the auction held in Dubai.
Overall, again CSK looks like a strong side on paper, and everyone would be keen to see if Super Kings could defend their crown again this time or not.
Today we will name the players who can fill in the big shoes of MS Dhoni as the skipper of the Chennai Super Kings team.
MSD hasn’t announced his retirement from the IPL yet. But as we all know Dhoni is good at giving surprises and suddenly one fine day he will call it quits just like Mahi did in 2014 in the red ball format.
The current captain of England's Test side was the front runner of replacing MSD as the skipper of CSK and that is why he was also brought by the Yellow Army.
But Stokesy didn’t play all the games last year, which CSK won and this year as well, he is not available for the entire edition of TATA IPL 2024.
Ben Stokes wants to play in the T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the United States of America, that’s why he has opted out of the TATA IPL 2024.
Ben can be the fray as the option. But at the same time, CSK cannot rely on this English player in this situation.
The CSK management should look for an Indian cricketer who will be available for all the matches in that season just like MS Dhoni has been for CSK since the first ever season.
Ideally, the Super Kings should look at the replica as a replacement of MS Dhoni.
If the Chennai Super Kings franchise is looking to invest in an Indian cricketer, then Ruturaj Gaikwad can be a good choice. Gaikwad is a talented opening batter who has played for India as well.
He has amassed a good number of runs in the domestic circuit as well. The Pune-born batter has a calm approach like his leader MS Dhoni and the Yellow Army franchise should invest in the future that could help the Indian cricket team as well.
Under the captaincy of Ruturaj Gaikwad, India also won the Gold in the Asian Games which was played in 2023. That was a handful of experience for Gaikwad which could also help him to lead the CSK franchise side in future as well.
Rutu captained a young side in that tournament which allowed India to do well in China.
The man who led the Indian team to win the Border Gavaskar Trophy in 2021 in Australia was Ajinkya Rahane. India was bundled out for just 36 runs in that Pink Ball Test match at Adelaide Oval.
It was pure captaincy material from Rahane which led India to win that series for the second back-to-back time. Ajinkya slammed a century in the second Test match which set the tone for this win and India also won the Test match at The Gabba when Kohli, Bumrah, Ashwin, Shami and Jadeja weren’t there in the team.
Rahane can bring a sense of calmness to the CSK side which is why CSK should consider him for this leadership role. Rahane can be an interesting choice as a skipper because he has the ability to deliver in a crunch situation like he did in Australia on that previous tour.
Like Dhoni, Rahane is also calm while he is leading his team. Jinx also captained Rajasthan Royals as well in the IPL.
The spin bowling all-rounder of the England side is a valuable player for the CSK team. Moeen Ali can be destructive at the number three batting position and his four overs of spin are also vital in the context of the match. Ali played a crucial role when CSK won their fourth IPL Title in 2021.
CSK can opt for him as their next captain of their franchise team because the all-rounders are always in demand and they have the knack to turn the match in their favour.
With that, Moeen is also available for the CSK side for all games, unless if there are any fitness or any injury issues.
