Chennai Super Kings urgently require a long-term captain to replace MS Dhoni. They started the previous season under Ravindra Jadeja’s direction, but after a poor start to IPL 2022, they switched to MS Dhoni. The four-time champions will undoubtedly attempt to rebound in the 2023 campaign after finishing second in the standings.
Ben Stokes and Kyle Jamieson were the only two players that CSK went all-in on at the recent IPL 2023 auction. Despite their poor performance, the team has kept most of its lineup from last year and will try to keep its mantra of relying on experienced seniors.
However, the question of who will wear the captain’s hat is one that every CSK fan is currently contemplating. Will MS Dhoni, who is 41 years old, continues to lead the team? Will CSK pass the open door to an alternate player? If Dhoni decides to step down as captain in 2023, here are three potential replacements.
#1 Ben Stokes
The Chennai Super Kings paid a lot of money at the IPL 2023 auction to get Ben Stokes, an England all-rounder. CSK paid a staggering Rs 16.25 crore to acquire Stokes, whose base price was Rs 2 crore.
Given that he captains his country in Test matches, the majority of experts believe that Ben Stokes is the ideal candidate for CSK’s succession plan. At Rising Pune Supergiant, he has also collaborated with Chennai coach Stephen Fleming and MS Dhoni. Pune finished as runners-up in the 2017 Indian Premier League thanks to Stokes.
Stokes has won matches for England in the 2022 T20 World Cup, the 2019 World Cup, and the Headingley Ashes Test, and he is known to perform well under pressure.
#2 Ravindra Jadeja
Prior to the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League, Ravindra Jadeja was appointed captain of CSK. However, the change didn’t go as planned, and CSK lost six of its first eight games. MS Dhoni was then reappointed captain of the team.
In most instances, such a move would have resulted in a deterioration of the player’s relationship with the team. However, Ravindra Jadeja has been a key performer for the team and a competent leader, and CSK is known for supporting its players. Jadeja may get a second chance to show that he can lead the team and be rewarded by the team for his performance and loyalty.
#1 Ruturaj Gaikwad
Some reports claim that the young opener Ruturaj Gaikwad is also in the running to succeed MS Dhoni. Ben Stokes or Ravindra Jadeja appear to be the obvious candidates. The 25-year-old has been a consistent performer for the Chennai-based team ever since he made his debut in 2020.
He has been trained by MS Dhoni and Stephen Fleming for three years and making him captain could give Chennai a long-term solution. Gaikwad has previously led Maharashtra in the domestic circuit and is no stranger to captaining a team.
Ruturaj Gaikwad has an advantage over Ben Stokes in that he already knows most of the team’s players.