NEW DELHI: The legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Thursday officially passed on the captaincy baton to
Ruturaj Gaikwad
on the eve of the IPL 2024 opener against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Gaikwad, who has played six ODIs and 19 T20Is for India, debuted for CSK in 2020 and has since played 52 matches for the franchise.
The stylish opener had a stellar performance last year, amassing 590 runs in 16 games at an impressive strike rate of 147.50.
His breakthrough year came in 2021 when he scored 635 runs in 16 matches.
Hailing from Maharashtra, the 27-year-old is no stranger to leadership, having led the Indian team to a gold medal in the Asian Games last year.
While Dhoni officially retired from international cricket on August 15, 2020, he continues to grace the IPL arena.
Grappling with a troublesome knee last season, the 42-year-old underwent surgery after steering CSK to their fifth title.
Dhoni, a guiding force behind India's triumph in three ICC tournaments, boasts an impressive IPL record, having featured in 250 matches and scored over 5000 runs at a strike rate of 135.92.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
As the five-time champions CSK prepare to take on RCB on Friday, let's have a look at the head-to-head stats between the two teams:
The two teams have clashed 31 times, with CSK holding the advantage. CSK have emerged victorious in 20 matches, while RCB have won 10, with one match ending in no result.
In their last five encounters, CSK have dominated with a 4-1 lead.
At Chepauk, the teams have crossed paths in eight matches, and it has been a stronghold for the home team. CSK have triumphed in seven matches against RCB at their home ground.
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