Ruturaj Gaikwad Opens Up on Leading CSK and Dhoni’s Faith in Him

The Evolution of MS Dhoni's IPL Career

Dhoni’s capataincy was unbeatable, starting with his appointment in the debut season of the tournament in 2008. Since then, he has won the title five times and spent his overall IPL career with his League team, except for the two seasons in 2016 and 2017 when the team was disqualified. In 2022, the captaincy was handed over to Ravindar Jadeja, but the decision did not work out, and Dhoni returned as captain in the same IPL season.

Dhoni’s Batting Position: Will Fans See Him Higher Up the Order?

In Dhoni’s first season as captain, CSK narrowly failed to qualify for the playoffs. The team achieved seven wins and faced seven losses in their campaign but secured fifth place because of the net run rate, which enabled Royal Challengers Bengaluru to progress.

Dhoni will be playing in his 18th season in the tournament. A total of 264 matches have been played by him, including 24 half-centuries. The iconic wicketkeeper-batter no longer shows the dominance he had in his early years. He has now been converted into a reliable finisher, coming in during the final moments of the batting innings to boost the runs in the dying moments of the innings.

It is doubtful whether Dhoni will come back to batting higher in the order since fans are excited to watch him batting for a longer time. His continuous injury struggles could lead to him retaining his position as a finisher.

The campaign of CSK’s IPL 2025 will be disclosed against the Mumbai Indians on Sunday, March 23.  The opener of the tournament between the two opponents will be an EI Clasico match, and Dhoni is expected to play for the last time before retiring.