After MS Dhoni retires, Ambati Rayudu, the former batter for both the Indian team and the Chennai Super Kings, believes that 26-year-old Ruturaj Gaikwad would lead CSK as captain. In response to a question on The Ranveer Show on who will head CSK soon after MS Dhoni announces his retirement, Ambati Rayudu said Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Ruturaj Gaikwad debuted in the IPL in 2020 for CSK, and after amassing 635 runs across 16 games in 2021, he won the orange cap. The achievements of Ruturaj Gaikwad helped CSK win championships in both 2021 and 2023.
Prior to the IPL 2022 mega auction, the franchise decided to keep four players, including Gaikwad. He produced 1797 runs with an average of 39.07 across 52 IPL games. The former Chennai Super Kings batter suggested Gaikwad’s name as he said, “I think, ideally it should be Rutu (Ruturaj Gaikwad). But let’s see.”
Ambati Rayudu, who announced his retirement from all forms of cricket following CSK’s fifth IPL championship win in 2023, also paid tribute to MS Dhoni’s leadership and contribution to Indian cricket.
The former Team India batter said, “I mean see everybody knows that he has brought the best out the best in so many players and across formats, even he has brought out the best in many foreigners that have played for CSK. I think he has it in him. I don’t even know how to express it because he is either blessed or he has cultivated it over so many years of playing the sport.”
Ambati Rayudu on Ruturaj Gaikwad ?
? – [TRS CLIPS] pic.twitter.com/T64FpfLypN
— Yash (@CSKYash_) November 25, 2023
“Results show that he was right” : Ambati Rayudu on MS Dhoni
The former cricket player went on to say that although it occasionally looked like MS Dhoni was making a mistake, 99.9% of the time his decisions on leadership worked out as planned.
The former Mumbai Indians batters said, “But many times I wonder why is he doing something which I wouldn’t think is appropriate. But end of the day, results show that he was right and he’s right 99.9 per cent of the times, that shows he knows what he is doing and he has done it for such a long time and so successfully that I don’t think anybody in Indian cricket are in a position to question his decisions now because he’s been so successful.”
