Throwback: When Ravindra Jadeja Replaced MS Dhoni As The New CSK Captain

Nikhil Sebastian

Jadeja in CSK jersey (X.com)Jadeja in CSK jersey (X.com)

Ruturaj Gaikwad has been appointed as the new captain of the reigning champions Chennai Super Kings, succeeding MS Dhoni, who had won five IPL titles with the team. This isn't the first instance of CSK exploring leadership beyond Dhoni while he's still in the squad. 

When Jadeja replaced MS Dhoni in CSK

In 2022, Ravindra Jadeja was appointed as the captain of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), just two days before the start of the IPL. Mahendra Singh Dhoni had been the captain of the franchise since its inception in 2008, with Suresh Raina leading the team in his absence for a few games. With Dhoni's illustrious leadership dominating the CSK era, the decision to seek a new captain was a significant departure, ultimately leading to the selection of Ravindra Jadeja for the role.

For Jadeja, the experience as captain was nothing short of horrific, as CSK faltered and struggled throughout the season. The team faced a series of defeats, leading to Jadeja's mid-tournament dismissal from the captaincy, with MS Dhoni reassuming the role. In addition, Jadeja was dropped from the squad in the last few games, reportedly due to injury. Following the disappointing season, there were significant rumors circulating about Jadeja's potential departure from the franchise.

Why was Jadeja upset?

There were multiple reasons for Jadeja to feel upset during that period. Firstly, the decision to strip him of the captaincy would have been disappointing for him. Additionally, his own performance as captain was below par. Jadeja is one of the all-time best players for CSK, but during his captaincy stint, he scored only 116 runs at an average of 19 and claimed five wickets at an economy rate of 7.52, which fell significantly below his usual standards.