Gautam Gambhir answers whether MS Dhoni is IPL's all-time best captain, names 3 players CSK should retain for next year

Gautam Gambhir gave his take on whether MS Dhoni is the greatest IPL captain of all time, and picks three players whom he feels CSK can retain for the next season.

MS Dhoni is the second most successful captain in the history of IPL, having won four titles, next only to Rohit Sharma's record five wins. However, if a cursory glance is to be given at Dhoni's captaincy record, he would well be the best overall captain, having led CSK to the playoffs of every edition of the IPL, barring last year.

Gautam Gambhir gives his verdict on MS Dhoni. (PTI/CSK)

Dhoni is the only captain to win IPL trophies back-to-back years in 2010 and 2011, while the other two championships back on the back of remarkable comebacks. All these accomplishments would ideally be enough to term Dhoni as the greatest captain of all time, something probably many might already believe.

But former India batsman Gautam Gambhir isn't one of them. When asked on ESPNCricinfo's Show 'Haan ya Na' (Yes or No), Gambhir was asked whether Dhoni is the IPL's all-time best captain, and much to the disappointment of MSD fans, Gambhir's answer is a no. "No, it is Rohit Sharma. If you talk about titles, one has won 4 and the other five," the former India opener said.

Looking back at CSK's title-winning campaign, Gambhir reckoned the opening pair of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis, who scored 756 runs in partnerships – the third highest for a single edition in the IPL – has a huge role to play in the team's success. "To a certain extent but not 100 percent because Robin Uthappa, Moeen Ali, and the way the bowlers performed. But yes, they have been a major factor considering the kind of form they have shown," Gambhir pointed out.

Lastly, Gambhir was asked whether CSK should retain the trio of MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja and Faf du Plessis for next year's IPL. With a mega-auction lined up, although it is unknown as to how many players an individual franchise can retain, Gambhir feels it retention depends on what role Dhoni will have going forward.

"It depends on MS Dhoni, what kind of role he has to play, or will he even play, but if I will have to retain three players, it would be Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja and perhaps Faf du Plessis," Gambhir added.