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Gaikwad was appointed as Chennai Super Kings captain in March 2024 after MS Dhoni stepped down from the role before the start of IPL 2024.
MS Dhoni and Ruturaj Gaikwad. (Picture Credit: Sportzpics)
Former New Zealand pacer Simon Doull, who has now donned the hat of an expert and commentator, has ignored Ruturaj Gaikwad and picked a 27-year-old Indian wicketkeeper-batter as MS Dhoni’s successor at Chennai Super Kings. According to him, CSK should go after Rishabh Pant in the IPL 2025 mega auctions if he is released by the Delhi Capitals, as he is the man to take the team forward.
Pant has been associated with DC in the IPL since 2016 and was appointed as the team’s captain in 2021. He is the most capped player in IPL history for Delhi and also holds the record of scoring most runs for them in the world’s richest franchise cricket league. Delhi is keen to retain Pant ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auctions but not willing to give him the leadership, which has raised the possibility of him leaving the side and entering the mega auction.
While speaking on the Jio Cinema show, Doull said that if Pant is available in the mega auction, then CSK should go all out for him.
“I think they’re just going to go heavily for Rishabh Pant if he goes into auction. He’s their man to take them through post-MS Dhoni wherever that may be,” he said.
Pant was DC’s top retention ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auctions, and if he enters the mega auction, many teams will get engaged in a bidding war for him.
The 55-year-old Doull, who played in 32 Tests and 42 ODIs for the Black Caps, also discussed CSK’s top player retentions ahead of the mega auction and said the five-time IPL champions should retain Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, and young Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana.
Doull also feels that Dhoni would be there for another season. He said that the former captain of the team is the franchise man, and the team should keep a hold of him.
“Ruturaj Gaikwad, then top of the tree Ravindra Jadeja absolutely there, Matheesha Pathirana, I think absolutely. I see MS come out and say that I will let you know the day before the retentions are allowed. He’s keeping them on a little bit of a string at the moment as to whether he is going to be there. Obviously, if he’s available and ready to go, he’s another one they have to keep a hold of. He’s the franchise man,” Doull said.
