IPL 2022: Jadeja Knew He'd Get Chance to Captain CSK This Year, Says MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni began his new stint as CSK captain with a 13-run win against SRH.

MS Dhoni talks to Dwaine Pretorius 

Image: BCCI

Over the weekend, in the world of cricket, especially in the IPL, there has one topic that has been grabbing the headlines, and that is Ravindra Jadeja handing back the mantle of captaincy to the veteran MS Dhoni at the Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2022.

It happened on Saturday, the eve of CSK’s game against SRH, which the Dhoni-led team won by 13 runs. After the game, Dhoni said the Jadeja knew that he’d captain CSK this season and that the transition was gradual.

“Between me and Jadeja, he knew last season itself that he will be given a chance to captain this year. He knew and got enough time to prepare, what is important is you want him to lead the side and I wanted that transition to happen. In the first 2 games there was information going in towards Jaddu and after that I left it to him to decide which angle to bowl and all that. At the end of the season, you don't want him to feel as the captaincy was done by someone else and I'm just going for toss. So it was a gradual transition. Spoon-feeding doesn't really help captain, on the field you have to take those crucial decisions and you have to take responsibility for those decisions,” MS Dhoni said after the match.

While Dhoni did not have the kind of effect he would have liked to coming in at number 3 during the CSK innings, he was all praise for his team’s efforts.

“I think it was a good score to defend. It's one of those coincidence where we got off to a good start and forced the bowlers to bowl the areas where we wanted to hit. The kind of target we got was a very good one. The phase that really worked for us was where the spinners were bowling after 6 overs. We have had quite a few good batting performances, we have given couple of overs that went for 25-26 runs, and even when you score 200, it really comes down to 175-180 in 19 overs.”

The veteran captain is well known for his ability to get the best out of players in the toughest of situations, and was asked about how he functions with bowlers in difficult phases.

“It's important to try something different as a bowler. I always told my bowlers, you may get hit for 4 sixes in an over, but the 2 balls that you save - ultimately in a high-scoring game - those are the 2 deliveries that will help you win the game. Because a lot of bowlers, after getting 3-4 sixes, they will be like let's get done with it but that one boundary or even instead of sixes if you get hit for 2 fours that will help you in a game. I don't know if they believe in that theory, but it really works,” Dhoni explained.