IPL: MS Dhoni steps down from CSK captaincy, Ravindra Jadeja to be next skipper

Mahendra Singh Dhoni handed over the captaincy of the Chennai Super Kings to Ravindra Jadeja on Thursday, which is set to begin on Saturday at Wankhede Stadium on the opening match of IPL 2022.

The Yellow Army will see Ravindra Jadeja come out for the toss as defending champions CSK take to the field against the Kolkata Knight Riders in the season opener. Dhoni has chosen Jadeja to lead four-time IPL winners the Chennai Super Kings in the lucrative T20 tournament's 15th edition.

"MS Dhoni has decided to hand over the leadership of the Chennai Super Kings and picked Ravindra Jadeja to lead the team. Jadeja, who has been an integral part of the Chennai Super Kings since 2012, will only be the third player to lead CSK," said CSK in their statement. "Dhoni will continue to represent the Chennai Super Kings this season and beyond."

As a result, there should be no doubt about Dhoni's participation in the IPL 2022. Dhoni, who will be missed as a captain will be appearing in the IPL for only the second time as a specialist wicket-keeper batter. In the 2017 IPL, Dhoni also played for the Rising Pune Supergiants, who were coached by Steven Smith.

Batting legend, Sunil Gavaskar praised Jadeja's ability to analyze the game, saying he wouldn't be surprised if Jadeja took over as captain if Dhoni stepped down. Dhoni stepped down as captain and handed over leadership duties to the flashy all-rounder, as Gavaskar look upon it.

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Dhoni career

Dhoni became the first captain in Indian Premier League history to win back-to-back titles. Over his career, Dhoni has led CSK to four titles (2010, 2011, 2018, and 2021).

The Super Kings made the playoffs seven times out of eight seasons when they didn't win the title (including five instances of finishing as runners-up). So far, four IPL titles and one Champions League trophy have been won by the Super Kings. Only 1 playoff round has been missed in their 13 year history.

Since its debut in 2008, MS Dhoni becomes one of cricket's most talismanic leaders alongside Virat Kohli the superhuman skipper who have been the poster boys of the cash-rich T20 competition.

During the IPL this much-celebrated picture of the two heavyweights of Indian cricket facing off at the toss will be a thing of the past.

IPL captains

In the last decade, Dhoni and Kohli have faced off multiple times as rival IPL captains. Kohli was named captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2013, while Dhoni has been the captain of the Chennai Super Kings since the league's start.

The fact that he led Chennai in all 190 matches, he played for the organization over 12 seasons speaks something about his longevity. Dhoni has played many IPL matches as a captain, he also captained the Rising Pune Supergiants in 2016. CSK will take on KKR in the first match of IPL 2022 on Saturday at Wankhede Stadium