MS Dhoni is Chennai Super Kings captain once more: The whats and whys of a dramatic transfer

March 24, 2022: MS Dhoni stepped down as captain of Chennai Super Kings two days earlier than the beginning of the IPL. The sudden announcement left followers shocked and there would quickly be emotional tributes. Dhoni, we have been informed, had handed over the captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja. CSK began the season as defending champions after which misplaced the opening match to Kolkata Knight Riders. The solely silver lining in that defeat was MS Dhoni’s half-century.

April 30, 2022: Somewhat over a later, CSK are all however out of the operating for a spot within the playoffs after six defeats in eight matches. Ravindra Jadeja, Dhoni’s successor, has had a horrible time as captain and participant. He has by no means been distinctive within the IPL – his finest season with the ball dates again to 2014 when he completed with 19 wickets and he has scored solely two half-centuries in 208 matches. But in 2022, Jadeja has regarded completely out of types. Sometime between Gujarat Titans’ victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore and the beginning of the RR-MI match, CSK mentioned Jadeja had handed the captaincy again to MS Dhoni, who accepted the duty once more within the bigger curiosity of the crew.

All via CSK’s debacle this summer season, the one silver lining has been MS Dhoni’s type with the bat. That unbeaten 29 to beat Mumbai Indians will likely be a part of cricketing folklore within the years to come back. There is Mukesh Choudhary to speak about within the CSK camp, however by no means thoughts that. “Mahi maar rahaa hai” has began to sound like an promoting marketing campaign for India’s most celebrated captain.

Looking again on the final one month and monitoring CSK’s performances within the IPL, you’ll nearly really feel sorry for Ravindra Jadeja, probably the greatest all-rounders in world cricket. Just earlier than the season began, Jadeja punished Sri Lanka with an unbeaten 175 after which took 9 wickets within the Test to offer India a large win.

In the IPL, Ravindra Jadeja has regarded misplaced, confused and like a person within the shadow of his extra illustrious predecessor.

Towering over MS Dhoni just isn’t straightforward. It’s nearly unimaginable and Jadeja didn’t do it.

The transition was smoother within the Indian crew. After MS Dhoni retired from Test cricket, Virat Kohli constructed up the crew from scratch and made India a world-beating machine. When Dhoni stepped down as India’s shorter codecs captain, he nonetheless retained that aura and guided the spinners whereas Virat Kohli went about his enterprise of scoring runs and bringing in his personal character to the aspect.

Ravindra Jadeja didn’t do both. As MS Dhoni walked off after securing that win over MI, Jadeja doffed his hat and bowed all the way down to the maestro. That was maybe greater than symbolic.

For, so usually on the sphere, it did appear to be Jadeja bowed all the way down to the needs of MS Dhoni. The TV cameras by no means missed a beat as Dhoni modified area placements, spoke to the bowlers and gave a curt nod to agree with a DRS name. Of course, proper via CSK’s distress, Jadeja was left to talk to the media, the broadcasters on the toss and post-match presentation ceremonies.

It was troublesome being Ravindra Jadeja all these weeks. It should have been actually suffocating.

At the top, it was an excessive amount of to bear and with 5 matches remaining, Jadeja determined at hand over the captain’s badge again to MS Dhoni, who duly obliged.

But listed here are some factors to ponder over as CSK put together to tackle a rampant Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Captains have usually struggled within the IPL. Virat Kohli has struggled. Rohit Sharma is struggling. Mayank Agarwal, in his first stint as skipper, has had his share of ups and downs. But what number of captains have simply stepped down after 9 matches and relinquished their place to the person who beforehand held the job?

It’s doable Jadeja simply didn’t benefit from the duties in any respect. But would not MS Dhoni have tried to persuade him to simply proceed for 3 extra weeks and reevaluate his place after the season?

Most importantly, what number of choices within the CSK camp are authorized with out MS Dhoni’s stamp? And was it actually Jadeja’s choice?

There are questions and there will likely be extra because the story unfolds over the subsequent few days, however the solutions are anyone’s guess.

Throughout these 9 matches underneath Ravindra Jadeja, you nearly acquired the sensation that he was simply going via the motions and MS Dhoni’s choice to step down as captain was solely on paper. CSK launched a couple of of their stars, together with Faf du Plessis, who took over as RCB captain. The youthful gamers – Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, Mukesh Choudhary and plenty of others – look as much as MSD like a cult determine.

Then there may be Dwayne Bravo who has performed underneath MS Dhoni for thus a few years. Robin Uthappa is an outdated pal. Perhaps, even Jadeja is in awe. Taking over from Dhoni and making it his personal crew was by no means going to be straightforward for anybody, not even for probably the greatest on the planet.

Whatever the explanations, this U-turn reveals CSK in a foul mild. Towards the top of a horror season, that is one drama they might have carried out with out. The Super Kings might nonetheless flip it round, win their subsequent 5 matches and current a severe case for the playoffs, however what does that to the picture of the second most profitable IPL crew in historical past?