'Shots fired at Rohit Sharma': Fans speculate MS Dhoni's latest 'captaincy' remark an 'indirect' dig at India skipper
Fans speculated MS Dhoni "indirectly targeted" India captain Rohit Sharma, based on the national side's recent tour of Australia.
The official broadcasters of the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) recently released a lengthy interview with former Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni, where the India legend touched upon various topics ranging from the IPL 2023 final, where Ravindra Jadeja hit the winning run, to the changing dynamic in the CSK dressing room after he stepped down from captaincy. He also discussed the decision to hand over the reins to Ruturaj Gaikwad.
The decision to name Gaikwad the new captain of CSK was announced on the eve of the start of the 2024 season. Speaking to JioHotstar, Dhoni explained that Gaikwad was made aware of the decision towards the end of the previous season and explained why it was the right choice.
In a bid to make his point on the Gaikwad decision, Dhoni explained the need for a captain's performance to live up to the expectation and how it can cause a problem if the leader goes through a rough patch.
"If your performance is not up to the mark and you are not performing but your captaincy is good - then it becomes a problem for the team. First and foremost, you need a performer as your captain. Your performance should be right up there, then comes captaincy," said Dhoni.
The statement circulated on social media within hours after the interview was made public. However, fans speculated Dhoni "indirectly targeted" India captain Rohit Sharma, based on the national side's recent tour of Australia.
What happened in Australia?
Rohit incurred a difficult run in red-ball cricket since September last month, which sparked discussions on his future in Test cricket. In the 10 matches he played during the period, which included the tour of Australia, Rohit managed just 164 runs, comprising a solitary half-century. In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, he scored just 31 runs at 6.2, the lowest-ever average for a touring captain in Australia, before dropping himself from the playing XI for the final match in Sydney. Matters turned worse after his return to the Ranji Trophy in January, too, ended on a failed note.
It is yet to be seen if the 37-year-old will be picked for the all-important tour of England in June. Selectors are expected to take the call after the end of the ongoing IPL season.
