IPL 2022: MS Dhoni reveals what prompted Ravindra Jadeja to step down as CSK skipper

Chennai Super Kings was back to its winning ways in IPL 2022, thanks to the captaincy being reverted to MS Dhoni. Meanwhile, he reveals why Ravindra Jadeja stepped aside.

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Four-time defending champion Chennai Super Kings' (CSK's) fans received a piece of shocking good news when legendary MS Dhoni regained the captaincy control of the team for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 remainder. Ravindra Jadeja, who was appointed the skipper before the start of the season, endured a rough start, with the team lurking in the ninth place.

Image credit: BCCI

Under Dhoni, CSK won its first game of IPL 2022, defeating former champion SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 13 runs on Sunday. Meanwhile, fans were curious as to why Jadeja gave up on his leadership stint so soon, despite having the backing of the team management and Dhoni? Dhoni revealed that the captaincy duties were affecting his performance as a player.

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"I think Jadeja knew last season that he would be captaining this year. For the first two games, I simply oversaw his work and let him be later. After that, I insisted that he take his own decisions and bear responsibility for them. Once you become captain, it means a lot of demands come in. But, it affected his mind as the tasks grew. I think captaincy burdened his prep and performances," Dhoni told during the post-match presentation after the victory on Sunday.

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"So, it was a gradual transition. Spoon-feeding doesn't really help the captain. On the field, you have to make those crucial decisions and you have to take responsibility for those decisions. Once you become the captain, we have to take care of many things and that also includes your own game," added Dhoni.

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Dhoni feels that Jadeja, now being relieved of the captaincy duties, will be back to his best, especially on the field. CSK has been sloppy with the ball, and even in its fielding, dropping some simple catches. He praised the bowlers for bouncing back, making things tough for the SRH batters on Sunday.

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"Even if you relieve the captaincy and if you are at your best and that's what we want. We were also losing a great fielder. We are struggling for a deep midwicket fielder. Still, we have dropped 17-18 catches and that's a matter of concern. These are tough games, and hopefully, we will come back strong. Important to communicate with the bowlers," Dhoni concluded.