IPL 2020 | Wouldnāt be surprised if MS Dhoni continues as CSKās skipper for IPL 2021, opines Gautam Gambhir
Gambhir hopes that Dhoni continues as CSK's skipper for IPL 2021
|IPLT20
Gautam Gambhir has opined that he wouldnāt be surprised if the three-time IPL winning franchise CSK retain the services of skipper MS Dhoni for the 2021 season of IPL despite results. He also added that this stems out of the mutual respect that is between Dhoni and the franchise.
CSKās love-affair with the play-off stage finally came to an end after ten consecutive seasons, where the franchise has made it to the latter stage of the competition. From the outside, a lot of people have put up their criticism for the team running slow, opting for aged-players and applying the same old formula that won them the competition. Even so, some have asked the franchise to completely change the setup, including removing the skipper Dhoni for the upcoming season, while the others are speculating that the former Indian skipper will move away from the game.Ā
However, former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir has none of that, with the southpaw admitting that he wouldnāt be surprised if MS Dhoni continues as the franchiseās skipper for the upcoming season of the competition. He also added that this confidence comes from the mutual respect that Dhoni and the franchise share between each other, which has led them to three IPL titles.Ā
"So I would not be surprised if they continue with MS and MS plays till the time he wants to play. And then next year he still continues to be the captain and have a much different squad than what he has this time around," Gambhir was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo, reported TOI.Ā
"I keep saying that why CSK is CSK is because of the relationship between the owners and the captain. They have given all the freedom to MS, and MS has received all the mutual respect from the owners as well," he added.Ā
Alongside that, Gambhir also credited the officials of the franchise for continually showing their trust in MS Dhoni in one of their worst seasons in the tournamentās history. While saying that, the former KKR skipper emphasised the loyalty factor from Dhoni, who has equally given his best for the franchise day in and day out.Ā
"So CSK saying they are going to continue with MS - it is just the relationship, it is just the mutual respect. That's why MS has been so loyal (to the Super Kings). That's why MS has given everything: heart and soul, his sweat, sleepless nights - I'm sure he must have had sleepless nights while he has continued captaining CSK," he concluded.
