IPL 2023MS Dhoni is that man who could get a team together after a gap, says Sunil Gavaskar

By India Today Sports DeskLegendary batter Sunil Gavaskar heaped praise on MS Dhoni for the latter’s leadership skills over the years. After the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2016, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), along with Rajasthan Royals (RR), were banned for two years.

During that time, Dhoni played a couple of seasons for the now defunct Rising Pune Supergiant. In 2018, Dhoni was back to leading the Super Kings and guided them to their third title in the history of the championship. CSK defeated Kane Williamson’s Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the final.

“I think when CSK returned and won the IPL trophy, it was absolutely amazing because the team had not been together for two years and they had moved out with different franchises and suddenly they come back again. That tells you leadership. That tells you how the man could get a team together again after that gap,” Gavaskar was quoted as saying to Star Sports.

“Sometimes you know, first year, second year there is a team spirit that happens but to get all of them together after the gap is remarkable,” he added.

Dhoni is now set to lead the CSK in the IPL 2023, which is scheduled to get underway on March 31. The Super Kings will face defending champions Gujarat Titans, led by Hardik Pandya, in the opening match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Last year, CSK failed to advance to the playoffs, only the second time when they failed to do so after 2020. Ravindra Jadeja took over the Super Kings’ skipper last year, but Dhoni was reappointed as the captain midway through the season.