Former Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu backs young Indian cricketer Ruturaj Gaikwad to become the next captain of Chennai Super Kings after legendary MS Dhoni calls his time in the game. The 26-year-old has worked with legendary Indian skipper MS Dhoni in the IPL for the last four years, which would have eventually helped him to improve his leadership skills.
Ruturaj Gaikwad has captained Maharashtra in domestic cricket and was leading the Pune franchise in the 2023 Maharashtra Premier League (MPL). He has worked with the great Indian skipper Dhoni and has established himself in the CSK thought tank.
Speaking on the BeerBiceps show, Ambati Rayudu has picked Indian opener Ruturaj Gaikwad as the ideal candidate to replace MS Dhoni as the Chennai Super Kings skipper. The 26-year-old has been a standout performer for their side in this edition of IPL 2023 setting up the right platform for the middle-order batters which helped him to earn his place in the Indian side.
“I think, ideally it should be Rutu (Ruturaj Gaikwad). But let’s see,” Ambati Rayudu said.
Ruturaj Gaikwad played key roles in two IPL title-winning campaigns and was a member of the leadership group that he hopes to use in the continental event. The Right-handed opener led the Indian side in the 2023 Asian Games and has been contributing effectively for the Men in Blue when given the chance at the highest level.
Many experts believe that the Indian opener has the potential to captain the Indian squad in the future. He is an essential component of the CSK setup in the IPL and had a significant influence on the team’s championship victories in the 2021 and 2023 seasons.
Chennai Super Kings is the only the second team after Mumbai Indians to win the IPL five times. Dhoni has also become only the second captain after Rohit Sharma to lead a team to five IPL titles, as the Indian veteran led the team outstandingly well to win the title against Gujarat Titans in a rain-curtailed game in the 2023 edition and is likely to lead the team in 2024 season.
MS Dhoni has been captaining the Chennai franchise since the inaugural edition (2008) and led the team to become the most successful franchise winning 5 IPL titles in the cash-rich league to equal the record of Mumbai Indians in league history.