CSK legend MS Dhoni will not start the season for the Men in Yellow for the first time in his career. However, the injury to the veteran cricketer seems to be a major setback for Sanju Samson and captain Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, this name resonates in the hearts of Chennai Super Kings fans. They have not only seen this man win many titles for them but have also gifted them countless memories in all these seasons.
MS Dhoni first played in 2008 and is among the four cricketers who have been a part of every season of the IPL.
CSK got a chance to test its future without MS Dhoni
The experienced Indian wicketkeeper will have one spot blocked, and the Super Kings can now try out a number of new players at that position. The first player to be used in that position will be wicketkeeper batsman Karthik Sharma, who impressed CSK scouts to such an extent that they made a huge investment of Rs 14.2 crore.
They can test their bench strength with Urvil Patel, who was also a part of CSK last time and played some explosive innings. He is known as a powerful white-ball striker and can also operate as a lower-order specialist.
CSK will get a glimpse of its future without MS Dhoni. Dhoni has been the pillar of the team and one of the main reasons behind CSK’s huge fan base. Now, without the veteran star leaving, CSK will know whether the real value is in the yellow jersey with the 5 stars or it is the man in the No. 7 jersey and his everlasting legacy.
Sanju Samson can gain confidence with extra responsibility behind the stumps
Sanju Samson will play his first season for Chennai Super Kings. The batsman has worked wonders in the Rajasthan Royals camp, but is yet to prove his worth in that yellow shirt. However, the crowd has already started supporting him and accepted him wholeheartedly.
The CSK management has made it clear that he is their only choice to open the innings along with Ruturaj Gaikwad. Hence he has guaranteed his support and backing for the Indian World Cup batsman. Samson finished the World Cup as the best player of the tournament after a successful three-match stint for the Men in Blue.
In Dhoni’s absence, his responsibility will not only be to save wickets but also to take important decisions on appeals. The captain will refer to him whenever he considers DRS. He will replace MS Dhoni, who with his remarkable accuracy had renamed DRS as Dhoni Review System.
Ruturaj Gaikwad can lead independently and make his mark as CSK captain
Despite MS Dhoni being in the team and not interfering in Gaikwad’s decisions, the young captain did not get a proper chance to make his own mark. Not only did he remain under the wing of the great captain, he also never felt pressured with the great mentor always on the field.
This will be the first time that Gaikwad will take on the captaincy alone. Dhoni will no longer be present to support him. However, he will be assisted by Sanju Samson, who has a lot of captaincy experience in IPL as well as domestic cricket.
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