IPL 2022: "Big mistake by MS Dhoni to step down as CSK captain"

Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes Chennai Super Kings (CSK)'s IPL 2022 season would have been much better had MS Dhoni continued to be their captain. Just a couple of days before the season, Dhoni handed over the captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja.

However, CSK went on to lose six out of their eight games under the all-rounder. Jadeja then relinquished the captaincy and handed it back to Dhoni. CSK have since won two out of their next three games and are mathematically still in the race to the IPL playoffs.

Speaking to Sportskeeda on the show, 'SK Match ki Baat', Mohammad Kaif explained how Chennai's unstable playing XI and wrong captaincy choices cost them dearly this season, saying:

"It was a big mistake by Dhoni to step down as CSK captain. If Dhoni is in the playing XI, he should be captain. Jadeja clearly didn't look ready for the captaincy. In T20s where you need to take quick decisions, your mind needs to be clear. Also they dropped a quality batter like Conway after just one game. So they didn't play their best XI too."

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There will always be excitement in an MI vs CSK clash: Mohammad Kaif

Mohammad Kaif believes that despite both Mumbai Indians (MI) and CSK having had a poor season, their clash is far from being a dead rubber due to their rivalry. On this, he stated:

"There will always be excitement in a Mumbai-Chennai clash. You are talking about big players and heavyweights on both sides. This is also a historic rivalry. They have been in the finals so many times. So although they didn't play good cricket this season, don't look at the points table. The fans will definitely come to watch the game."

Kaif recalled some thrilling games that both these IPL teams have dished out whenever they have faced off against each other, saying:

"I still remember Malinga's over where Shardul Thakur got LBW on the last ball. Even this year everyone remembers the way Dhoni finished the game in the final over, after scoring 16 from 4 balls."

Chennai simply need to win all their remaining games in order to qualify for the playoffs and will arguably go in as favorites against MI. However, Mumbai will play without any baggage of failure and that could just bring the best out of them.