Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has said that MS Dhoni is a different beast as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain. MS Dhoni has been appointed as the skipper of CSK as Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the entire Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025) following a hairline fracture on his elbow.
Hence, the wicketkeeper batter MS Dhoni will be marking his return as CSK skipper for the first time since 2023. Recently, Ganguly also spoke highly of MS Dhoni’s leadership at an event, mentioning his tremendous ability to hit massive sixes at the age of 43.
MS Dhoni a nationwide rage playing for Chennai Super Kings.
“CSK is Dhoni. Dhoni is CSK” Chennai Super Kings local boy now which hails from Ranchi. MS Dhoni  is the only player to record 250 appearances in the cash-rich league. The 42-year-old has amassed 5082 runs with an average of 38.79. Thala Dhoni has smashed 24 half-centuries in his iconic IPL career. Under MS Dhoni’s talismanic captainship many youngsters got groomed from 2008 to 2023 who later went on to be part of Indian national team playing 11.
The advice to the youngsters of each team after the match from MS Dhoni is as value as of gold for upcoming talents who wait even if their teams wains or looses only to meet MS Dhoni.
Year 2023 saw a nationwide rage with speculations around that finally it would be curtains for Dhoni the player in IPL as fans flocked to every venue in yellow to support MS Dhoni. This overwhelmed support from the fans all round compelled Dhoni to return back to play for season 2024 only for the fans as stated by him in the presentation of the finals of 2023 where CSK won the title equalling Mumbai Indians(MI) tally of 5 IPL titles.
All said and done Dhoni who was seeing limping all round throughout IPL season 2023, to go back and have a knee surgery to be more fitter for atleast one more season. However his dedication has irked the likes of Former Chennai Super Kings player and Indian allrounder Irfan Pathan to claim that Dhoni has more IPL left in him after 2024 as a player.
The words came true as Dhoni returned as a player for IPL 2024 stepping down as CSK captain ahead of the 2024 season and passed the baton to Ruturaj Gaikwad. However, the 28-year-old hasn’t had a memorable beginning to his captaincy tenure as CSK failed to qualify for the playoffs in the previous season and have also lost four out of the first five matches in the ongoing season.
Ruturaj Gaikwad has led Chennai in 19 matches so far and won eight, while 11 ended in a losing cause. Meanwhile, MS Dhoni marks his return as the most successful captain in IPL history, having led his teams to 128 victories from 212 matches and five titles under him
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly stated that MS Dhoni’s presence in the Indian Premier League (IPL) is most impactful when he leads the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Ganguly described Dhoni as a “different beast” in the captain’s role; interestingly, the assertion from Ganguly came just before CSK officially announced Dhoni’s return as captain for the remainder of the IPL 2025 season.
Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly reaps heavy praises for MS Dhoni the skipper of CSK ahead of KKR clash in IPL 2025
Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly believes Dhoni is a different beast when leading the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Ganguly’s statements came a day before the struggling CSK take on the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in a crucial IPL 2025 clash in Chennai on Friday, April 11.
Hours after these remarks, Dhoni was incidentally appointed CSK’s captain for the rest of the 2025 season after Ruturaj Gaikwad got ruled out with an elbow injury. Gaikwad took over from Dhoni as CSK skipper ahead of IPL 2024.
However, things have gone downhill for the franchise since, with the Men in Yellow failing to qualify for the playoffs last year and starting this season with one win in five outings.
Speaking about MS Dhoni in an event on the eve of the CSK-KKR clash, Ganguly said (Via India Today):
“MS Dhoni can still hit sixes, we saw that in the other game. If he has to play for CSK, he must be captain of CSK. Because MS Dhoni, the captain is a different beast. Obviously, he’s 43 years old, you don’t expect to see the MS Dhoni that I saw in 2005, that’s quite natural. But I think he’s still got the power to clear and hit.”
He continued:
“And I saw him play the other day in Punjab and he did hit a few sixes. I think with all his experience, all what he’s achieved, he understands the game as good as anybody and will do what is right for CSK.”
MS Dhoni holds almost all the IPL captaincy records, including the most wins with 133 and leading CSK to a joint-record five titles. Dhoni’s return to CSK captaincy comes at a critical phase of their campaign, with the five-time champions reeling from four consecutive defeats. This will also mark MS Dhoni’s first match as skipper since leading CSK to their record-equalling fifth title in 2023. CSK’s upcoming fixture against the Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday at home presents an opportunity to reverse their fortunes under Dhoni’s leadership.​
MS Dhoni has a herculean task ahead of him, with CSK languishing second-to-bottom on the points table. After winning their season opener against the Mumbai Indians (MI), CSK have lost four straight to equal their worst single-season losing streak.
Also Read:Â CSK vs KKR : Ruturaj Gaikwad Silences All The Critics After Getting Ruled Out Of Tournament