CSK vs RR: "Whatever you do, it's your own decision" - Ruturaj Gaikwad on MS Dhoni's DIKTAT

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad recently revealed that legendary cricketer MS Dhoni helped him lead the team in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Ruturaj Gaikwad stated that MS Dhoni assured him of minimal interference in the captaincy during the tournament.

Ruturaj Gaikwad was appointed as captain of the five-time IPL champions before the first match of the IPL 2024. Chennai started the tournament with back-to-back victories in the first two matches. They won four out of their first six matches before losing four games in the next six matches.

The Ruturaj Gaikwad-led team suffered a 35-run loss against the Gujarat Titans (GT) in their most recent match. They are currently in fourth place in the table with 12 points and a net run rate (NRR) of +0.491. They need to win the remaining two matches to secure a berth in the IPL 2024 playoffs.

CSK's campaign was plagued by injuries, with key players like Matheesha Pathirana and Deepak Chahar sidelined due to injuries. They struggled to find a stable opening combination following Devon Conway's absence. Mustafizur Rahman returned to Bangladesh, as his NOC was until May 1st.

Took Control Of The First Game - Ruturaj Gaikwad

In a video shared by Star Sports on X (formerly Twitter), Ruturaj Gaikwad expressed his joy in leading the Chennai Super Kings. Gaikwad acknowledged the unwavering support he received from MS Dhoni. The CSK skipper stated that Dhoni gave him full autonomy as captain.

"Last year in almost every game I was thinking about what changes I would make, what bowling changes I would make if I am there," Gaikwad reflected on his journey. "I am really happy that I took control of the first game as a captain and not really asked for suggestions from him [Dhoni]," Ruturaj Gaikwad said.

"He definitely said one thing - 'Whatever you do, it's your own decision, it's your own responsibility to take care. I am not going to interfere in anything. Just the field angles, if I think that somewhere it's like 50-50, I will definitely help in that. Whatever it is, batting order and everything you will have to take care of," Gaikwad added.

"I think whatever fielding angle I change, fielding replacement I do there's definitely I look at him. Even he makes sure that he has an eye on me. But he also mentioned that - 'Make sure that it's not a compulsion that if I tell you something you have to follow that. You can still take up your own decision'," he concluded.

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Ruturaj Gaikwad is the leading run-getter for Chennai in the ongoing tournament. The right-handed batter has scored 541 runs in 12 matches at an average of 54.10 and a strike rate of 145.82. He has smashed four fifties and one century, with a best score of 108 against the Lucknow Super Giants.

The Chennai Super Kings will face the Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, May 12. The team will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their last league stage match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday, May 18.

Also read: RCB vs DC: Virat Kohli set to become the first cricketer to achieve this milestone in IPL history.