Just two days before the commencement of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season, Chennai Super Kings (CSK)'s "Thala" passed on the captaincy baton to Ravindra Jadeja in the "MS Dhoni style." Even his most devoted followers were taken aback by the decision, but it is exactly what MS Dhoni has been known for. Whether it's his decision to retire from Test cricket in the middle of a series or his decision to retire from international cricket on August 15, 2020, Dhoni has always surprised everyone.
Subramaniam Badrinath, who rubbed shoulders with Dhoni and Jadeja during his time with Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, said the captaincy transition was logical, given the veteran wicketkeeper-batter's age.
Badrinath, speaking to Times Now on the sidelines of the National Poker Series, referred to Jadeja as a "4D" cricketer, with captaincy being the 4th dimension added to the 3D responsibilities he already had — batting, fielding, and bowling.
“Jadeja has always been a bowler but in the last two years, he has improved as a batsman tremendously. The biggest part of his game in which he has improved is his batting. His batting has made him a proper all-rounder, a proper 3D cricketer.
“Now there's a fourth dimension as well. He will be a 4D cricketer because captaincy is also there. The only thing is that he has never led any team, even in First-Class cricket. That is the only thing that needs to be looked at. As for his value to the team, we all know it. The thing is, he already has the load. He has to be fielding in the hotspot. He has to do bowling, batting, and now there's captaincy also,” Badrinath said when asked about the change he has witnessed in Jadeja from times he used to play with him to what he is now.
Badrinath remarked that Dhoni's choice to hand over the captaincy to Jadeja was a sensible step because Dhoni will be present on the field to guide Jadeja through the transition.
“Whatever MS Dhoni does, there must've been planning to this. He would've certainly thought about it for the last year or so. The announcement just came out but it was in the pipeline.
“Jaddu is a senior player now. He is playing all formats. I am sure he will do well. MS is also there on the field. He will be a great backbone for Jaddu. But once again, we'll have to wait and see,” Badrinath opined.
“It's natural progression. We know that MS Dhoni is not at his peak. It was going to happen at some point or another. This could be his last season as a player. We have to look for a captain. It's better when MS is there rather then when he is not there and Jadeja is left on the field all alone. It's a wise decision. MS is there on the field and can guide Jadeja,” he added.
With Dhoni's legacy as a captain coming to an end, the former CSK and India batter is hoping that the experienced wicket-keeper batter will continue to be with the franchise in the future as a player or mentor.
“His legacy is big. He has won many titles. He has been a big influence for Chennai Super Kings. That will continue. Maybe he will continue as a player or as a mentor,” said Badri.
CSK is a franchise that has virtually exclusively been headed by MS Dhoni, while Suresh Raina has led the squad in the skipper's absence on a few occasions. Ravindra Jadeja will be wearing the captain's hat for the first time in his career, and he has huge shoes to fill.
