Chennai Super Kings batting coach Michael Hussey feels that calm and composed Ruturaj Gaikwad has some great cricketing brains around him in his initial stage of captaincy to assist him. Gaikwad took over the captaincy charge from Dhoni this season and led his team from the front with some incredible batting performances. The 27-year-old is fighting hard with Virat Kohli in the Orange Cap race and has scored 583 runs in 13 league stage matches this season.

Under his captaincy, CSK has had a mixed season thus far in IPL 2024, as they have yet to qualify for the playoffs and have to win their last league stage match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Hussey heaped praise on Ruturaj's calm demeanour but also suggested that he has great minds like MS Dhoni and Stephen Fleming around to assist him in tough decision-making.

"I think Ruturaj has been fantastic as captain. He has got a very calm demeanour on how he wants to go about it as well. Fortunately, he has great minds with him in the initial stages of his career. MS Dhoni is obviously still there, helping him behind the scenes. Fleming is also there. He has great minds to bounce ideas off. Ruturaj can only get better and better," Hussey said.

Gaikwad played a sensible knock against Rajasthan Royals on Sunday to take his team over the line. Chasing the moderate 142-run target, the CSK skipper scored an unbeaten 42 runs as his team won the match by 5 wickets with 10 balls to spare.

Hussey was impressed with Gaikwad's maturity during his match-winning knock against RR, which displayed that he is a good cricket brain.

"I already think he is doing a fantastic job. But the more he does it and the more he feels comfortable in himself being the captain as well, then I think he only grows as a captain. He already has a very good cricket brain and a great feel for the game - we saw that in the way he played today. He knew when to knock it around and when to accelerate. The more he does it, the more he would trust himself. That was one of Dhoni's great assets." Hussey added.

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