IPL 2020: 'I am very confident that MS Dhoni will lead the team in 2021'

MS Dhoni and the Chennai Super Kings might have had a poor outing in IPL 2020, but nothing is going to change between the two of them. The 3-time IPL winning-captain will continue to lead the franchise in the next edition as well, insisted CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan.

This is the first season that the MS Dhoni-led side has failed to progress to the knockout stages. But the CEO, in an interview with Times of India, stated that CSK are going to stick to their basics and won’t meddle with their leadership.

“Yes, definitely. I am very confident that Dhoni will lead CSK in 2021. He has won three titles for us in the IPL. This is the first year we have not qualified for the playoffs. No other team has done that. One bad year does not mean we will have to change everything,” Viswanathan said.

MS Dhoni has scored a meagre 199 runs at an average of 28.42 in 12 matches so far in IPL 2020, while CSK are currently last in the points table having won just 4 of the 12 games played.

‘We didn’t play to our potential this season,’ says CSK CEO

Ruturaj Gaikwad (L) and Deepak Chahar (R) were the architects of their victory against RCB on Sunday (Credits: IPLT20.com)

Viswanathan attributed their off-colour performance to the absence of star players like Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh, and the fact that 2 of their players contracted COVID-19 before the start of the season.

Click here to see IPL 2020 points table.

“We didn’t play to our potential this season. We lost games that we should have won. That pushed us back. The withdrawals of Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh coupled with Covid cases in the camp meant that the balance of the side was upset,” the CEO added.

While Raina flew back from the UAE, Bhajji didn’t even attend the conditioning camp – both cited personal reasons. Talking about COVID-19 cases, 13 members of the CSK contingent – including fast bowler Deepak Chahar and opener Ruturaj Gaikwad – tested positive for the virus just before IPL 2020 was about to commence.

The CSK management would be looking to get the team combination right at the auction next year and rid themselves of the “ageing team” tag. MS Dhoni will continue to be at the helm of affairs in what could possibly be his last season in competitive cricket.