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'This was expected but not so early': Former BCCI selector 'shocked' at Dhoni's decision to step down as CSK captain
IPL 2022: A former BCCI selector feels that he expected MS Dhoni to take the decision probably at the end of the season and finds the move all the more surprising given the fact that CSK lifted the title last season.
MS Dhoni has once again done what only MS Dhoni can, and that is drop a bombshell. Two days ahead of the start of the IPL, Dhoni has handed over Chennai Super Kings' captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja. At 40, Dhoni is on the last leg of his career and he did what a true leader does before going out – shape his successor. Like Dhoni did with Virat Kohli at Team India, he has given charge of the team to Jadeja, one of the world's greatest all-rounders. With Jadeja having next to no experience of captaincy, leading CSK with Dhoni's support next to him could prove to be the ideal recipe of success. (Also Read: 'He is, he was and he will be CSK': Fans pay tribute to MS Dhoni as he steps down from captaincy; 'End of an era')
Dhoni's decision was expected but not this easy, feels former BCCI chief selector MSK Prasad. The former India wicketkeeper feels that he expected Dhoni to take the decision probably at the end of the season and finds the move all the more surprising given the fact that CSK lifted the IPL title last season.
"Franky speaking, I am really shocked hearing this. Ever since the IPL has come up, we have always seen Dhoni in yellow colours and leading the side. And even if you see the last edition, he won the IPL championship. It is really surprising to me to hear that MS is not going to lead CSK," Prasad told CNN-News18.
"With time, this was expected also but not so early. I thought that at the end of the season he might take a call. But you never know how Dhoni does it. He takes calls instinctively. For the outer world, it might look instantaneously but he does lot of analysis before taking a big decision and I'm sure he must have thought from every angle, and spoken to the management and passed the baton to one of the best all-rounders in the world right now."
Dhoni steps down as the IPL's second-most successful captain, having led CSK to four titles. Under him, CSK reached the playoffs of the IPL each season barring one – in 2020. Dhoni led CSK in 204 matches, of which the team was victorious in 121.
