IPL 2024: Debate sparked after Dhoni sets the field despite Ruturaj Gaikwad being the captain in CSK vs RCB match

The focus of Friday’s IPL 2024 season start at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium was on Ruturaj Gaikwad’s captaincy and the performance of the reigning champion Chennai Super Kings. Only on Thursday did MS Dhoni, for the second time in his CSK career, relinquish his captaincy to elevate the young player. It was anticipated that Gaikwad would occasionally turn to the renowned captain for assistance when things got tough, but a video from Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s innings at Chepauk left many confused as to who the true on-field captain was.

On his captaincy debut, Gaikwad was pretty successful, particularly with his bowling selections after RCB had gotten off to a fast start led by Faf du Plessis. After RCB chose to bat first, a scorching 41-run partnership left Chennai in ruins. However, the hosts quickly recovered, with Mustafizur Rahman taking two wickets in the powerplay’s final over and Deepak Chahar taking another in the next over to reduce the Royals to only three down for 42 runs.

At the conclusion of the ninth over of the strategic time-out, Gaikwad was observed engaging in a protracted conversation with Dhoni, presumably in search of guidance on how to go with the remaining half of the innings.

But the RCB came back, putting up a 174-run target thanks to a 95-run sixth-wicket partnership between Anuj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik. Following the conclusion of the first innings, a social media video featuring Dhoni actively laying the pitch during the RCB’s batting innings ignited a discussion on whether Gaikwad was only an on-paper captain.

Former India cricketer and CSK player Subramaniam Badrinath reckoned the same as well as he took to social media and wrote: “I think MS Dhoni is still the fielding captain”

Chennai Super Kings emerged as the winners of opening match as they defeated RCB by six wickets.

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