'He knew last season itself that he'll be given a chance to captain': Dhoni opens up on Jadeja leaving CSK leadership

IPL 2022: Jadeja was appointed as CSK skipper for the ongoing season after Dhoni decided to step aside but the all-rounder resigned midway through the tournament.

MS Dhoni on Sunday returned to the helm of affairs as Chennai Super Kings defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by 13 runs after they defended 202 for two in second match of the day at Pune. Chennai openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway put on this season's best stand of 182, and in reply, Sunrisers finished on 189-6 despite Nicholas Pooran's unbeaten 33-ball 64. (IPL 2022 Full Coverage)

Ravindra Jadeja (L), Ambati Rayudu and MS Dhoni (R)(IPLt20.com)

As Chennai notched up their third win of the season to reach six points in nine games, the spotlight was on Dhoni, who got a rousing welcome at the MCA Stadium. The 40-year-old Dhoni, who gave up the captaincy ahead of the ongoing season, accepted the job back on Saturday after Ravindra Jadeja stepped down from the role following CSK's six losses from eight matches.

While CSK last year won their fourth IPL title under Dhoni, the former India skipper wanted to prepare someone for this responsibility, leading to Jadeja's appointment as the captain. But Dhoni revealed the pressure demand of captaincy took a toll on Jadeja and affected his individual performances as well.

"I think Jadeja knew last season he'd be captaining this year. For the first two games, I oversaw his work and let him be later. After that, I insisted he'd take his own decisions and responsibility for them.

"Once you become captain, it means a lot of demands come in. But it affected his mind as the tasks grew. I think captaincy burdened his prep and performances," Dhoni said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

Dhoni further said that he wanted it to be a gradual transition and explained why "spoon-feeding" doesn't help a captain.

"He knew and got enough time to prepare, what is important is you want him to lead the side and I wanted that transition to happen. At the end of the season, you don't want him to feel as if the captaincy was done by someone else and I'm just going for the toss.

"So it was a gradual transition. Spoon-feeding doesn't really help captain, on the field you have to take those crucial decisions and you have to take responsibility for those decisions."

"Once you become the captain, we have to take care of a lot many things and that also includes your own game," he said.

Talking about Jadeja's individual performances, Dhoni said they are hoping the all-rounder to return to his old self. Jadeja has amassed 113 runs and picked up five wickets so far in the season.

"Even if you relieve captainship and if you are at your best and that's what we want. We were also losing a great fielder, we are struggling for a deep mid-wicket fielder, still, we have dropped 17-18 catches and that's a matter of concern," he further said.