IPL 2022: Did Dhoni quit CSK captaincy at the right time? De Villiers reckons

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Four-time defending champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is the second most successful side in the fortunate Indian Premier League (IPL) after Mumbai Indians (MI). CSK’s all four title successes have come under MS Dhoni’s leadership. However, he will no longer lead the side from IPL 2022, passing the baton to all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, the second most experienced lad in the team. In the meantime, legendary South African batter AB de Villiers analysed that Dhoni has made the right move.

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On VUSport Scouts talk show, de Villiers reckoned that he was not surprised with Dhoni relinquishing his duties as the CSK skipper. He expressed his happiness for the 40-year-old wicketkeeper batter and claimed that captaincy does take a toll on a player. He feels that unsuccessful seasons leads to sleepless nights.

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“But, I think he stepped away at exactly the right time, having won the last IPL. The season before the last would have hurt him a lot. To come back and win the trophy and then say, ‘I’ll still play, but someone else takes over, and I’ll be there to support’, it’s the perfect move,” De Villiers inferred.

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“I am excited to watch MS enjoy himself, to hit those big sixes again. Not to overthink about strategies and have to monitor guys. He can go out there and hit sixes and entertain the entire world with what he does best: play cricket and win games,” concluded de Villiers.

Image credit: BCCI

Dhoni has led CSK since the IPL’s inception in 2008. He has led the side on all 12 occasions and has helped it qualify for the playoffs on 11 occasions, barring the 2020 season, where it finished seventh. As a batter, he has scored 4,746 runs in 193 innings at an average of 39.55 and a strike rate of 135.83. He has scored 23 half-centuries, while his top score happens to be 84.