The official broadcasters for the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) recently published an extensive interview with former Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni. In this conversation, the cricketing icon addressed a variety of subjects, including the IPL 2023 final, where Ravindra Jadeja secured the victory, and the evolving atmosphere in the CSK dressing room following his resignation as captain. He also elaborated on the choice to appoint Ruturaj Gaikwad as his successor.

The announcement regarding Gaikwad's appointment as the new CSK captain was made just before the commencement of the 2024 season. In an interview with JioHotstar, Dhoni revealed that Gaikwad had been informed of this decision towards the conclusion of the previous season and articulated the rationale behind it.

To emphasize his point regarding Gaikwad's selection, Dhoni discussed the importance of a captain's performance meeting expectations and the potential issues that can arise if the leader experiences a downturn in form.

"If your performance does not meet the required standards and you are struggling, even if your captaincy is commendable, it can create challenges for the team. Primarily, you need a captain who performs well. Your performance should be at a high level, followed by your captaincy," Dhoni stated.

This statement quickly gained traction on social media shortly after the interview was released. Nevertheless, fans speculated that Dhoni may have "indirectly targeted" India captain Rohit Sharma, in light of the national team's recent tour of Australia.

What happened in Australia?

Rohit Sharma has faced a challenging period in red-ball cricket since September of last year, leading to speculation regarding his future in Test matches. Over the course of 10 matches, including the tour of Australia, he accumulated only 164 runs, with just one half-century to his name. During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, he recorded a mere 31 runs at an average of 6.2, marking the lowest average for a touring captain in Australia’s history. Subsequently, he opted to exclude himself from the playing XI for the final match in Sydney. His return to the Ranji Trophy in January also ended disappointingly.

It remains uncertain whether the 37-year-old will be selected for the crucial tour of England scheduled for June. The selectors are anticipated to make their decision following the conclusion of the current IPL season.

Read Also: Sanjiv Goenka's Glum Entry into LSG Dressing Room After Heated Rishabh Pant Chat

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!