MS Dhoni today stepped down as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain and handed over the baton to all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.
“MS Dhoni has decided to hand over the leadership of Chennai Super Kings and picked Ravindra Jadeja to lead the team. Jadeja, who has been an integral part of Chennai Super Kings since 2012, will only be the third player to lead CSK. Dhoni will continue to represent Chennai Super Kings this season and beyond,” a CSK statement said.
CSK won four IPL titles (2010, 2011, 2018 & 2021) and two Champions League T20 trophies (2010 and 2014). Dhoni was the only captain of an IPL team who led CSK right from the inception of the cash-rich league in 2008, former CSK batter Suresh Raina is the only other player to have captained the Yellow Army in Dhoni’s absence on six instances.
Tributes have flooded the social with fans and players pouring their hearts out for one of the successful Indian skippers
Leading the chorus was none other than Virat Kohli. “Legendary captaincy tenure in yellow skip. A chapter fans will never forget. Respect always,” Kohli wrote his caption posted on his official Instagram handle hours after Dhoni stepped down as CSK captain.
In the IPL 2022 players’ retention list, Dhoni had pushed himself in the second spot as he settled with the amount of INR 12 crore and allowed Jadeja to be retained as the franchise’s first choice player (INR 16 crore).
CSK’s new skipper Jadeja said that Dhoni will be his go-to person on the field whenever he is short of advice or needs the iconic player’s guidance.
