"When MS Dhoni is available, the buck stops there" - Aakash Chopra feels CSK are not thinking about future captain ahead of IPL 2022
Former Indian opener and cricket expert Aakash Chopra feels the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will not be in a rush to groom their future captain in the presence of MS Dhoni.
The 40-year-old has been one of the most successful IPL captains, winning four titles with CSK. However, with Dhoni approaching the twilight of his career, there is a debate about whether the likes of Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen Ali can be groomed as the next CSK captain.
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However, speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Aakash Chopra explained why the Super Kings would like to live in the present instead of looking too much into the future. He opined:
"There is room to groom. But the question is how you will do it? When a season starts it is easy to put "VC" against the name of anyone. However, you need to see whether they can really give valuable inputs and insights."
While Jadeja and Ali are viable options, Aakash Chopra feels there is no need for urgency as long as Dhoni is there at the helm. He added:
"The likes of Jadeja and Moeen can definitely be a part of the decision-making group, but when MS Dhoni is available, the buck stops there. Ravindra Jadeja might be the obvious choice since he was retained for more money than Dhoni. But will we see flashes of grooming? I don't think so."
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Wasim Jaffer agrees with Aakash Chopra's thoughts about CSK's future captain
Cricket expert Wasim Jaffer also gave his opinion on whether CSK would be keen to groom their future captain in the presence of MS Dhoni. Jaffer believes that in a fast game like T20s, Dhoni will be completely occupied with decision-making and there will be no time to focus on grooming the next captain.
The 44-year-old also feels that every captain will bring his own style and culture to the IPL team, so grooming by Dhoni won't be needed. He stated:
"I don't think so (whether CSK are thinking about future captain). You generally plan for a particular season and T20 is such a fast game that there is no time to think about these things. There are a number of youngsters who will spend time with Dhoni but in the end they will captain the team in their own way like we saw in the case of Kohli."
Jaffer feels there are enough options for CSK to choose from and they don’t need to press the panic button just yet. He added:
"If Dhoni isn't there, maybe Dwayne Bravo is a good captaincy choice as he has won the CPL as a captain. Even the likes of Jadeja and Moeen are available so they have a lot of options. Whenever they feel the time is right, they will straightaway appoint someone."
The Chennai Super Kings will open their IPL 2022 schedule in the first game of the season against the Kolkata Knight Riders on March 26.
Check out the IPL Orange Cap Winners here.