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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) kicked off their campaign with a victory over the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) curtain raiser at their home ground, the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
In a video that has gone viral from the game, newly appointed skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, when the team was gearing up to enter the field, was seen checking the wind direction using the soil on the boundary covers.
Here’s the video:
While this trick is common in cricket, it is not something that every player or captain does. Nevertheless, back in the day, MS Dhoni used to apply this method when he led the Indian national side and CSK, the five-time title-winning IPL side.
“Never felt it as an additional pressure” - Ruturaj Gaikwad on maiden win as CSK captain
While the news of MS Dhoni stepping down as the Chennai-based franchise’s captain shocked many, fans and pundits were also hopeful of Ruturaj Gaikwad carrying the legacy forward.
He started his captaincy stint at the IPL on a high note and would be looking to carry the momentum forward when CSK take on Gujarat Titans in a rematch of last year’s final.
Gaikwad opened up on the experience during the post-match presentation as he said:
“I’ve always enjoyed it (captaincy), never felt it as an additional pressure. I had experience on how to handle it, never felt any pressure, obviously had Mahi (MS Dhoni) bhai as well.”
Dhoni led the franchise to five IPL titles including 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and most recently in 2023. CSK strengthened their squad by adding some top-quality players like Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, and Sameer Rizvi among others.
Both Rachin and Daryl put up noteworthy performances in the opening game and would be raring to go in the upcoming contests. While the former opened the innings alongside skipper Gaikwad and provided the team with a strong start, the latter chipped in with some crucial runs during the chase while batting in the middle-order.
