With the possibility of IPL 2023 being MS Dhoni’s last stint as captain, the four-time champions are gearing up to find a new leader who can take the team to greater heights.
In a recent discussion on Star Sports, Gavaskar spoke highly of Gaikwad, stating that he is a certainty in the team and has the required captaincy experience from his time leading Maharashtra in domestic cricket. The former Indian skipper believes that the added responsibility of captaincy could take Gaikwad’s game to the next level, just like it did with Rohit Sharma when he became the Mumbai Indians captain.
And Gavaskar isn’t the only one who thinks highly of Gaikwad’s potential as a leader. Virender Sehwag also sees him as a long-term captaincy prospect for CSK, with all the qualities of MS Dhoni except the luck factor.
Gaikwad’s impressive stats for CSK also speak for themselves, with 1207 runs at an average of 37.71 and a strike rate of 130.34 in the 36 matches he has played for the franchise. With a century and 10 half-centuries to his name, Ruturaj Gaikwad has already proved his worth as a top-order batsman.
But Gaikwad won’t be alone in his journey towards becoming a successful leader, as he will have the guidance of MS Dhoni himself and the addition of Ben Stokes to the CSK camp. Matthew Hayden believes that the presence of these two natural winners will only help Gaikwad’s cause and provide him with a great opportunity to learn from one of India’s greatest captains.
And with the Chennai Super Kings and the Mumbai Indians finishing in the last two positions in IPL 2022, the rivalry between the two most successful franchises is sure to intensify as they both fight to reclaim their former glory and bring home the title once again. Don’t miss out on the action as the next generation of leadership takes center stage in IPL 2023.