IPL 2022: With MS Dhoni stepping down as captain, Ravindra Jadeja will lead the Chennai Super Kings as they take on the Kolkata Knight Riders in Saturday’s season-opener game.
MS Dhoni resigned as CSK captain 2 days before the start of IPL 2022 (courtesy of BCCI)
HIGHLIGHTS
- MS Dhoni announced CSK captain 2 days before IPL 2022
- Dhoni will continue to represent CSK next season
- de Villiers is no longer part of the RCB franchise
Former South Africa star AB de Villiers said MS Dhoni timed his decision to step down from the Chennai Super Kings captaincy correctly, adding he was happy for the former India captain who won the World Cup. Dhoni relinquished the CSK captaincy two days before the start of the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, handing over the baton to Ravindra Jadeja.
The Chennai Super Kings have shown confidence in Ravindra Jadeja’s ability to defend the four-time champions despite the all-rounder having no past experience running an IPL franchise.
IPL 2022: full coverage
AB de Villiers said Dhoni will be relieved of the burden of captaincy and better able to express himself with the racquet. CSK confirmed the 40-year-old will continue to represent the franchise this season and beyond.
De Villiers said he was not surprised by Dhoni’s decision to step down from the captaincy after winning the last IPL and that the horror show at the UAE IPL 2020 would have hurt him.
“I’m not surprised by the move from MS. I’m actually very happy for him. After carrying this burden for so long, people might think that being a captain is easy, but it really wears you down. One has sleepless nights sometimes, especially when you don’t have good seasons.
“But I think he resigned at exactly the right time after winning the last IPL. The penultimate season would have hurt him a lot. To come back and win the trophy and then say, ‘I’m still going to play, but someone else is taking over and I’m going to be there to support them’, that’s the perfect move,” de Villiers said during a discussion on VUSport Scouts .
BIG SIX BY DHONI
De Villiers added that he hopes Dhoni can return to his old punchy self in the 2022 IPL. The former captain has been a shadow of his former destructive self as he was injured from a lack of competitive activity between seasons.
Dhoni had managed just 114 runs in 16 games last year, averaging under 20, but the star-batter had a crucial cameo win to win the match in the qualifier against Delhi Capitals.
“I look forward to seeing MS just having fun, hitting those big sixes again. Not thinking too much about strategy and having to monitor the guys. He can just go out and hit sixes and entertain the whole world with what he does best, and that means playing cricket and winning games,” de Villiers said.
CSK will be spearheaded by Ravindra Jadeja as the defending champions open their campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Saturday, March 26.
