'It was waste not having Dhoni as CSK captain. Look at the results': De Villiers clarifies pre-IPL 'huge mistake' remark

MS Dhoni had handed over CSK's captaincy duty to Ruturaj Gaikwad before the start of IPL 2024. Chennai finished fifth in the season.

Published on: May 23, 2024, 06:43:33 IST

By Aratrick Mondal

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When the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season began on March 22 in Chennai, former South Africa captain AB de Villiers, ahead of the tournament opener between defending champions Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, had reckoned that MS Dhoni's decision to relinquish the captaincy position in CSK was a "huge mistake" as he recalled the infamous Ravindra Jadeja move from the 2022 season. Notably, the 42-year-old had handed over the duties to young Ruturaj Gaikwad on the eve of the season opener at Chepauk.

AB de Villiers felt MS Dhoni should have remained as the captain of CSK

With Chennai finishing fifth in IPL 2024, with seven wins and as many losses in the season, De Villers, an IPL expert on JioCinema, doubled down on his pre-season remark, saying that Dhoni should remain the captain of CSK if he is part of the squad. He argued that Dhoni's decision to step down from the leadership role made the five-time champions less intimidating throughout the season, leading to a decline in their performance. He pointed out instances where Dhoni's strategic decisions could have made a difference in crucial matches.

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"I will only give you an honest answer if you're going to report it in the right way, yes, so I wouldn't say I called it a mistake. What I meant by that was with MS Dhoni around, playing against MS for so many years, that is the most intimidating sight to have him as an opposing captain," said de Villiers in response to a query from Hindustan Times during a press interaction.

"They took away quite a bit of intimidation factor from CSK with not having him as captain. It's got nothing to do with Gaikwad’s captaincy. I actually think he's got a very bright future and he captained extremely well," he added.

The former South Africa captain once again revisited the Jadeja move made by Chennai in 2022. Just like in 2024, CSK had named the all-rounder as the new Chennai captain before the start of the season, but with the side languishing to the bottom of the table at the halfway mark in the tournament, Dhoni took over the role yet again.

"Just having MS around, I always felt like it's going to be a waste not having him as captain. They tried it before. It didn't work (when Jadeja was replaced mid season). And unfortunately, this year, yes, you've got to look at the results. The majority of the games they played well, but at the end of the day they didn't qualify for the knockouts. It's definitely not because of Gaikwad's captaincy. I do, however, ever feel that when MS is around, he should be captain," he added.

If there is one thing De Villiers' remark certainly indicated is that if Dhoni does choose to return for the IPL 2025 season amid intense speculation over his future, he wants the World Cup-winning captain to lead the Chennai side yet again.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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