The Indian Premier League (IPL) has truly taken a cinematic turn. Icon MS Dhoni is set to don the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain’s hat once again — but with a funny twist. The 43-year-old legend, despite his storied international career, will become the first “uncapped” player to captain a side in IPL history. Unfortunately for CSK, permanent captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has endured a tournament-ending injury, suffering a hairline fracture in his right elbow.
Why is MS Dhoni “uncapped”?
According to a recent BCCI ruling, any player who hasn’t featured in international cricket for five years is classified as “uncapped”. Dhoni, who last played for India in the 2019 World Cup semifinal against New Zealand, falls under this new categorisation, despite leading India to three ICC titles and CSK to five IPL crowns.
Technically, Dhoni isn’t uncapped. However, as per the new IPL rules, he is. Alongside him, Sandeep Sharma and Mohit Sharma are also playing as uncapped players for the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the Delhi Capitals (DC), respectively, despite being Indian internationals.
CSK retained MS Dhoni for just Rs 4 crore, the minimum for base price for teams to retain a player in the uncapped category.
Oldest captains in IPL so far
| Age | Captain | Team | Match | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 years 325 days | MS Dhoni | CSK | CSK vs GT | 28 May 2023 |
| 41 years 249 days | Shane Warne | RR | RR vs MI | 20 May 2011 |
| 41 years 185 days | Adam Gilchrist | KXIP (PBKS) | KXIP vs MI | 18 May 2013 |
| 40 years 133 days | Rahul Dravid | RR | RR vs MI | 24 May 2013 |
| 39 years 316 days | Sourav Ganguly | PWI | PWI vs KKR | 19 May 2012 |
| 39 years 314 days | Faf du Plessis | RCB | RCB vs RR | 22 May 2024 |
Dhoni or not, Gaikwad’s absence to weaken CSK
The potential absence of Ruturaj Gaikwad poses a massive threat to Chennai Super Kings’ batting lineup, rather than just a captaincy conundrum. As the in-form player at No. 3, Gaikwad’s steady starts have been crucial in masking the top-order’s struggles.
Without him, CSK will be forced to reshuffle their XI and overseas combination, potentially leading to a tricky selection dilemma. With Rahul Tripathi out of form, Devon Conway’s return to the lineup could be on the cards, but this would necessitate the omission of either Jamie Overton or Matheesha Pathirana. Conway, pairing up with Rachin Ravindra, could be vital to stick in solidarity.
As a replacement player, CSK could look to bring in someone like Prithvi Shaw or Jonny Bairstow. Also, Ayush Mhatre, who recently gave trials mid-season for them as well.
Most IPL runs for CSK since 2022 ft. Gaikwad
| Player | Inns | Runs | HS | Ave | SR | 100 | 50 | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaikwad | 48 | 1663 | 108* | 37.79 | 140.33 | 1 | 13 | 151 | 66 |
| Dube | 44 | 1209 | 95* | 32.67 | 157.62 | 0 | 8 | 69 | 86 |
| Conway | 24 | 1006 | 92* | 47.90 | 140.30 | 0 | 10 | 106 | 32 |
| Jadeja | 38 | 658 | 57* | 28.60 | 135.67 | 0 | 1 | 44 | 25 |
| MS Dhoni | 41 | 600 | 50* | 37.50 | 155.84 | 0 | 1 | 44 | 40 |
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