MS Dhoni Comes Back As CSK Skipper But Will It Be Adequate?

The Chennai Super Kings are not playing well in the IPL 2025 season. With a single victory in five matches, they are currently ninth on the points table. Their net run rate is extremely poor at minus 0.889. The fans had much enthusiasm for the team but injury and weakness have been causing problems. One of the biggest setbacks was when their leader Ruturaj Gaikwad was out for the season because of an elbow injury. As a reaction CSK made a massive transfer and appointed their great leader MS Dhoni as captain again. Although this piece of news thrilled fans, many experts think it won't be enough to get rid of all of CSK's issues.

Robin Uthappa, a former member of the CSK team, had his say too. He opined that having MS Dhoni as captain alone will not be enough to solve all the problems that the team is going through. In his opinion there are too many holes in the side and these issues will not vanish by simply replacing the captain. He also indicated that losing a strong and steady hitter such as Ruturaj Gaikwad is a huge loss. Uthappa questioned how the team is going to replace that and who could rise to the occasion in such a challenging scenario.

Poring over the options at the batsmanship Uthappa recommended the inclusion of Rahul Tripathi at number three. He further stated that there was some spark shown by Devon Conway in the Punjab game wherein he made 69 not out before being retired out. Perhaps this display would give the side some hope. Other players however such as Rachin have lacked consistency so far and the team needs more solid performances if the team is to stage a revival this season.

Dhoni will captain CSK for the first time this season in their next game against the Kolkata Knight Riders. This would be played at home and fans would be keen to see their favorite skipper back in action. There are still many questions though regarding the team's prospects of turning things around. Uthappa posed some pertinent questions like who would be dropped from the playing eleven and if a player like Sam Curran will be re-inducted into the team. Such calls will be important and the result of the upcoming match could tell us everything about the future of CSK.

MS Dhoni is undoubtedly an excellent captain and has done magic for CSK in the past. He has led the team to several IPL championships and is renowned for remaining composed in tense situations. His presence and experience on the field can definitely motivate the players but cricket is a team game and one man cannot single-handedly shoulder the responsibility. The team must get together and play as a unit if they wish to ascend the points table.

Fans of CSK are hopeful that Dhoni’s return will bring a positive change. However as Robin Uthappa rightly pointed out there are too many moving parts in the team and simply changing the captain will not fix everything. The team will have to look at their combinations and make smart decisions about who plays and in what position. Players such as Conway Tripathi and even the young guns will need to rise to the occasion and play good cricket in the remaining matches.

It will also be interesting to see how Dhoni handles the pressure of reviving a struggling campaign. The pressure is high and the games are coming thick and fast. With every game CSK will need to show that they still have the fight remaining in them. The next few matches will be critical in deciding whether Dhoni’s comeback as captain can lead the team to a comeback in the tournament or if it is already too late.

Ultimately the comeback of MS Dhoni as captain has brought hope but hope is not enough. Now the team has to act with speed and unity. If they are able to rise to the occasion there is still a chance to salvage their season. But it will require more than leadership. It will require performance determination and a lot of heart to turn CSK around.