Sourav Ganguly Predicted MS Dhonis Return As CSK Captain Right Before Official Announcement; Heres Why-OxBig News Network

In a significant setback for Chennai Super Kings, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the remainder of IPL 2025 due to an elbow injury. The announcement came on April 10, just a day before CSK’s home clash against Kolkata Knight Riders, with head coach Stephen Fleming confirming that MS Dhoni will lead the team for the rest of the tournament.

However, what raised eyebrows was the timing of a bold statement by former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly, who had publicly advised CSK to hand the captaincy back to MS Dhoni, even before Gaikwad’s injury was made official.

Ganguly’s Strong Endorsement For Dhoni

“If MS Dhoni has to play for CSK, he must be the captain of CSK. Because MS Dhoni, the captain, is a different beast,” said Ganguly at the sidelines of an event, as quoted by PTI. 

The former India skipper emphasised that Dhoni’s leadership qualities remain unmatched, despite the ongoing discussions around his reduced batting role and visible knee discomfort:

“We saw in the other game, he can still hit sixes. He’s 43 years old. We don’t expect the Dhoni of 2005; that’s natural. But he still has the power, and more importantly, the experience and game sense to guide the team, and I think with all his experience, all that he’s achieved, he understands the game as good as anybody and will do what is right for CSK,” he added. 

Captaincy Comeback for Dhoni

Ganguly’s comments appear prophetic in hindsight, as the captaincy baton returns to MS Dhoni, the man who led CSK to five IPL titles and defined the franchise for over a decade. With Gaikwad sidelined, all eyes will be on how Dhoni reshapes the team, possibly for one final title run. With the responsibility once again on his shoulders, fans are eager to see whether Captain Cool can deliver one more fairytale run.