Mahendra Singh Dhoni relinquished the captaincy of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Thursday, handing the reins to young opener Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of IPL 2024.
"MS Dhoni has handed over Chennai Super Kings' captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of the start of TATA IPL 2024," the CSK statement said. "Ruturaj has been an integral part of Chennai Super Kings since 2019 and has played 52 matches in the IPL during this period. The team looks forward to the upcoming season."
Fans and cricketers expressed surprise at Dhoni's decision. Some welcomed the move as a sign of a new era, while others paid tribute to Dhoni's leadership. IPL franchises bid adieu to 'Mahi' by posting his picture alongside their team's prominent player.
Here's how fans reacted:
Dhoni's move marks the first time in IPL history that none of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, or MS Dhoni will be leading an IPL team. Kohli stepped down from the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captaincy in 2021. The 2024 season is also the first since 2013 that Rohit won't lead the Mumbai Indians (MI) after being replaced by Hardik Pandya.
Dhoni has captained an IPL team in every season except 2017, when Steve Smith led the Rising Pune Super Giants (RPS). Kohli was RCB's skipper from 2013 to 2021, while Rohit captained MI from mid-2013 to 2023. Dhoni briefly stepped down in 2022, with Ravindra Jadeja taking over, but returned to lead for the rest of the season.
While Kohli hasn't won an IPL title as captain or player, Dhoni and Rohit are the league's most successful captains. Both led their respective teams (CSK and MI) to five IPL titles each. In 2024, a potential race for a sixth title between Dhoni and Rohit seemed likely, but their captaincies have come to an end.