Shane Watson opines on Jadeja quitting captaincy

Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) all-rounder Shane Watson felt 'a bit sorry' for Ravindra Jadeja after he stepped down as the captain of the four-time champions.


Speaking on the 'The Grade Cricketer' podcast, Watson explained why he sympathized with what Jadeja has had to go through with his form and team not doing well under his leadership in the past month. But, he said, "When I had initially heard that Jadeja was going to take over, I was blown away!"


"Because everyone knows the kind of respect and aura that MS Dhoni has on the field, it was always going to be difficult for Jadeja no matter what. In the end, I do feel a little bit sorry for Jadeja, because he is a great cricketer and is only getting better."


Watson himself once stepped down as the Rajasthan Royals captain in the Indian Premier League, and thus he's aware of what Jadeja was going through.


"But to see that they publicly sort of put him in that position, he really didn't have to get to that stage. I stepped down as a captain for Rajasthan, so I know how difficult it is when you are under pressure, so kudos to Jadeja for making that call."


The legendary Australian all-rounder added that MS Dhoni has the right to do whatever he wants. He said that Dhoni has points to prove with his batting, and he has done an excellent job in the IPL 2022. He added that the entire franchise is built around Dhoni, and he is the right man to lead the franchise.


"Even though Jadeja was told that he would potentially take over, things do change. If MS wants to play on, he can absolutely do whatever he wants. He has led CSK to another championship. Also, deep down, he had a point to prove in his batting, and he showed that this season. The whole franchise is built around MS, whether it's just the leadership structure or team dynamics. He is the man to lead the franchise," Watson concluded. 


MS Dhoni handed over Jadeja the CSK captaincy just a few days before the Indian Premier League 2022. After the team's poor performance under him, the ace all-rounder decided to hand back the captaincy to MS Dhoni in the middle of the season. Meanwhile, Watson is currently serving as the assistant coach of the Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2022.

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