MS Dhoni has clarified that he is not making decisions behind the scenes for Chennai Super Kings after handing over captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad. Instead, he is focusing on adapting his batting style to remain effective in the IPL, as revealed in his conversation with ‘JioStar’ following CSK’s victory against Mumbai Indians.
Dhoni shared his observations about the evolution of batting in modern cricket, particularly in the IPL.
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“…batsmen are now willing to take risks. They believe that with proper cricketing shots, they can play big strokes, and at the same time, they are improvising with their shot selection…whether it’s a reverse scoop against a fast bowler, a sweep, or a reverse sweep against a pacer. I am no different, I have to adapt as well. This is what is required of me for where I am batting. You have to try and stay relevant.”
The former CSK captain discussed how cricket has transformed since the IPL’s inception in 2008.
“The way we played T20 in 2008 and the way we played IPL last year, it’s very different. Earlier, there was a lot of turn in the wickets. Wickets were two-paced. Now, India’s wickets have become much better; they are more batter-friendly.”
The 43-year-old Dhoni, who led CSK to five IPL titles, explained his approach to mentoring new captain Gaikwad.
“Ruturaj has been part of us for quite some time. His temperament is very good, he’s very calm, very composed. So those were the reasons we considered him for leadership. Before the start of the tournament, I also told him, ‘If I give you advice, it doesn’t mean you have to follow it. I will try to stay away as much as possible.’ During the season, a lot of people speculated that I was making the decisions in the background. But the fact is, he was making 99 per cent of the decisions. The most important calls — bowling changes, field placements — were all his. I was just helping him out. He did a brilliant job of handling the players.”
Dhoni also spoke about his relationship with Virat Kohli of Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
“It was always an honest exchange of ideas — whether a certain approach was right or if an adjustment could have been made. Initially, it was more of a relationship between a captain and a young player, but over time, as we kept interacting, we became friends. Even today, we share that bond, though there’s always a line of respect between a senior and a junior. Now that neither of us is captain, we get more time to talk before matches.”
The veteran cricketer expressed his appreciation for regional commentary in the IPL.
“…listening to commentary gives you an outsider’s perspective. It sparks new ideas like ‘why don’t we try this approach?’…which can then be evaluated based on intelligence and data to see if it fits within the team’s strategy. I haven’t heard a lot of regional commentary, but I know that Bihari (Bhojpuri) commentary is highly energetic. It reminds me of old-school radio commentary, where the commentators were very involved. I find that very interesting.”
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