Former India head coach Ravi Shastri wished all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja well in his new tenure as captain of the Chennai Super Kings, saying the star cricketer is more than capable of taking on the responsibilities in the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL). .
Speaking to Chennai Super Kings, Ravi Shastri said the added responsibility of captaining an IPL franchise for the first time will do wonders for Jadeja’s cricket keenness.
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Ravindra Jadeja was named CSK captain two days before the start of the new season after MS Dhoni decided to step down from the role. Dhoni handed the reins to Jadeja with CSK, the four-time champions confirming their former captain will continue to represent the franchise “into the current season and beyond”.
Shastri, who worked closely with Jadeja in India’s senior squad during his tenure as head coach, stressed that Jadeja has evolved as a player and his confidence has improved greatly in recent years.
“Jaddu, my friend, good luck. I’m sure you’re more than capable of handling the job of captain,” said Shastri.
“I think he has additional responsibilities and that will do wonders for him.
“Get out there and enjoy yourself like you normally do and be a good captain. Good luck on the toss, start winning a lot,” added Shastri.
“He was an outstanding cricketer for India. World No. 1 when it comes to being an all-rounder. I’ve seen how he’s evolved over the last 5 years and especially the last 3 years.
“The way he focuses on his hitting. The time he spent at the nets, the confidence he brought to the game. Aside from being an outstanding outfield player and getting the job done with the ball, I think he’s a living wire in the team.
“He’s very energetic, he’s very positive and I’m really happy that he’s back after a knee injury.”
“CSK MORE COMBAT HARDENED”
Ahead of the 2022 IPL opener between CSK and Kolkata Knight Riders, Shastri said the four-time champions have the edge as they come into the season with plenty of experience.
“CSK have a lot more experience. They’re a lot more battle-hardened. They’ve been through the terrain and difficult situations many, many times in the past, although this time they will have a new captain. It will be interesting to see how that works.” goes. MS will still be there behind the stumps. So this is a tremendous help. All in all we can say that it’s a solid team that will try to hit the bull’s eye quickly,” said Shastri.
Also Read | IPL 2022: History favors CSK as the defending champions face KKR in the opener
