Indian batter Ruturaj Gaikwad has heaped rich praise on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni. The opening batter said that the keeper-batter has taught him how to stay neutral when things aren’t going his way. He also spoke about how the captain addresses the team after a loss.
“MS Dhoni taught me how to stay neutral when things aren’t going your way,” says Ruturaj Gaikwad
MS Dhoni has arguably been one of the best captains in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The wicketkeeper batter has led CSK to four titles and he’s one of the main reasons behind them being the most consistent team in the tournament.
He has led CSK to four titles in 2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021 and is one of the main reasons behind them being the most consistent team in the tournament. Being appointed captain of the franchise in 2008, Dhoni took the franchise to record nine IPL finals in the tournament history.
Dhoni captained the franchise in 219 games and made sure that CSK made it into the playoffs of all the seasons they had participated except in 2020 and 2022, where they finished seventh and ninth respectively. He won 132 games as a skipper with a 60.77% win record.
MS Dhoni and Kedar Jadhav at the farm-house in Ranchi. pic.twitter.com/oAxMgk67zJ
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 19, 2022
Advertisement
Not only with his captaincy, but Dhoni also has many times won the match for his side in crunch situations with his ability to finish the games. The wicketkeeper batter has scored 4978 runs in 235 matches at a strike rate of over 135.
He also has backed a lot of players and is credited for bringing out the best of them one such player is Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is considered as one of the best young players.
Speaking to Aakash Chopra, Ruturaj Gaikwad revealed how Dhoni reacts after a loss and how he helped him to stay brutal even when things are not going his way. He said:
“All the (CSK) players gelled really well. Everyone used to be a little quiet for 10-15 mins after losing a game. But Mahi bhai…after coming back from the presentation, would tell us, ‘Relax boys, it happens. You tend to relax a little bit after hearing that. MS Dhoni taught me how to stay neutral when things aren’t going your way. And even when you are on the winning side, it is important to stay neutral.”
“MS Dhoni’s meetings are usually very short,” Ruturaj Gaikwad reveals how keeper batter addresses loss
Gaikwad further went on to reveal how MS Dhoni addresses the team after a loss. He said: “MS Dhoni’s meetings are usually very short. Even after losing, the longest meeting would be around two or three minutes. He would tell us that there is a dinner plan, so make sure everyone is ready for it. He would make us understand that it isn’t possible for CSK to win each and every time.”
Both Gaikwad and Dhoni will be seen in action together during the IPL 2023. While the young batter has been retained by the franchise, the keeper batter is likely to play his last season in the league.
MS Dhoni playing tennis. pic.twitter.com/CGek1wg96J
Advertisement— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 21, 2022
