Chennai Super Kings participant Ruturaj Gaikwad play a shot through the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders in Chennai, Tamil Nadu on April 8, 2024.
| Photo Credit: R. Ragu
The charismatic Mahendra Singh Dhoni told Ruturaj Gaikwad to be ready for Chennai Super Kings captaincy again in 2022 and he has been prepared ever since despite the fact that there have been no “deep conversations” between the 2 on how you can lead one of the profitable IPL items.
Gaikwad, who led from the entrance in the win in opposition to Kolkata Knight Riders on April 8 night time, was stunningly appointed CSK captain a day earlier than the IPL opener on March 22.
The crew’s earlier management experiment with Ravindra Jadeja didn’t work however the CSK think-tank has been bullish about Gaikwad’s long-term reign. Dhoni is thought for his no nonsense method and that’s how he mentioned the transition with Gaikwad.
“To be honest, not really deep conversations. I feel it was in a very chilled state. Just one conversation I would say. Just we were practicing and he came and told me all this stuff,” Gaikwad mentioned in the post-match press convention after the seven-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in Chennai on April 8.
“Obviously, everyone, others on the outside, would think they are big shoes to fill, but I feel I would always be myself and I would like to continue the culture that has been going on.
“I remember in 2022 when he told me, ‘Probably not next year, but after that, you might get a chance to lead, so be ready for it’. So, obviously after that, I was always ready for it,” mentioned the opener.
A franchise like CSK is kind of meticulous with its planning and that’s the reason head coach Stephen Fleming was discussing discipline and bowling adjustments with Gaikwad final yr.
“It was nothing new to me or a surprise or a shock. I know how to control the game. I know how the game progresses, which change [to make], and what to do when, as I was doing for the State team [Maharashtra] as well.
“Even last year, Fleming and I used to discuss captaincy after every game, about how I felt, what changes, bowling changes what I felt we needed to do, this or that. Every game, we had one-on-one conversations so that really helped.” When requested what change had he introduced in as skipper, Gaikwad asserted that he believes in continuity.
“Captaincy-wise, I don’t want to be a specific kind of character. Just let things flow and keep the culture of CSK going. The success that we had and the things we have been doing, I don’t want to change a single bit of it.
“I just want to come here, make my own decisions and just give as much freedom as possible because that’s what has been happening from when I joined CSK. Nothing really changes and I’m enjoying a lot.” “Captaincy, while batting, is a totally different approach”
Gaikwad’s batting because the skipper this season has not been at his typical finest however he made an unbeaten 67 in opposition to KKR.
When requested if captaincy had compelled him to make some adjustments to his batting, he mentioned, “Sometimes there are phases where you get good balls. Sometimes there are phases where you are slightly unlucky. Sometimes there are phases where things don’t really fall in shape.
“So, you don’t really need to think on that. I always felt I was in good shape, starting really well, good headspace, so I wasn’t really worried.
“And captaincy, while batting, is a totally different approach. Even when I was playing my first game, or the first fifty I scored for CSK, I think (it was a) similar kind of situation.
“We were chasing 140 and I always wanted to stay till the end and make sure I finish the innings so pretty much same. Nothing really changes even though I am captain or not,” he mentioned referring to the 138-run goal set by KKR.
