MS Dhoni Returns as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Captain After Ruturaj Gaikwad Ruled Out of IPL 2024

MS Dhoni was greeted with a massive roar at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday as he walked out to the centre for the coin toss

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) legend MS Dhoni was warmly welcomed by a huge crowd at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday as he stepped out onto the centre to perform the coin toss.

It was the first time Dhoni was seen standing in for the toss in two years, and he was back in the role of captain after wicketkeeper-batter Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was Dhoni’s successor and is now ruled out of the remainder of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season with an elbow fracture, sustained the injury while completing a catch to dismiss Delhi Capitals's opener in the last match.

However, it was Dhoni’s opposite number Ajinkya Rahane, who won the toss and asked the home team to bat first.

Given that ‘Thala’ doesn’t play any form of the game other than the IPL, where he is still an integral member of five-time champions CSK at the age of 43, Friday’s interview with Ravi Shastri at Chepauk was his first as captain in two years. And in the chat, Dhoni described Gaikwad’s exit from the 18th IPL season as a “big miss for the franchise”.

“He has fractured something on his elbow, so he is ruled out of the tournament. He is a very authentic batter, someone who looks to time the ball well. So yeah, he will be a big miss,” Dhoni said at the toss, while adding that he would have opted to bat anyway.

CSK, the joint-most successful franchise in the IPL alongside Mumbai Indians, are currently second from bottom after losing four games on the trot, with their Net Run Rate (NRR) of -0.889 also the second worst among all teams.

Dhoni, who had led Team India to victory in the 2011 World Cup as well as the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy, added that every game will be crucial for the team going forward and they cannot afford to slip up if they are to avoid the prospect of failing to reach the playoffs for two consecutive seasons - something that has never happened with them before.

“It is important now, every game is important. We have lost too many matches and now it is important to do the basics right - have dot balls, take our catches. A couple of games we lost by big margins, but otherwise it was about the small things - about one over going for 20 runs.

“Our batters are more authentic as batters, they won’t slog everything. They just need to back their instincts. It is important to start well, get boundaries early on and try to get a couple of early wickets as well,” Dhoni added.

CSK made two changes - Rahul Tripathi and Anshul Kamboj coming in for Gaikwad and Mukesh Choudhary. KKR, who are sixth on the table with two wins and three losses, brought Moeen Ali in place of Spencer Johnson in the only change to their XI.