IPL 2023: Not Ben Stokes, Kedar Jadhav picks THIS star to succeed MS Dhoni as CSK skipper in bold prediction

Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star Kedar Jadhav has made a bold prediction on MS Dhoni’s successor as the franchise is likely to be on a hunt for a new man to lead the side. MS Dhoni, 41, is predicted to hang his boots and retire from the Indian Premier League (IPL) as a player at the end of the current season. While CSK have a bunch of experienced players, Jadhav, a former CSK star and Indian player has not picked Ben Stokes as his favourite to succeed Dhoni.

Who is Jadhav’s favourite to succeed Dhoni?

"I think Ruturaj Gaikwad could be the captain of CSK after MS Dhoni. Ben Stokes is also another potential captain along with Ravindra Jadeja. But for that, Stokes has to play really well for CSK this year. Availability is another issue. So I think Rituraj Gaikwad is the best option to captain CSK after MS Dhoni," said Kedar Jadhav, who is an IPL commentator for the digital broadcasters.

Ruturaj has been in sensational form for CSK in recent years and has been a major boost for the franchise ever since joining them. Gaikwad, who played along with Jadhav in the domestic circuit won the Orange Cap in the 2021 edition of the IPL with 635 runs. He has made a good start to the 2023 campaign and has already scored 197 runs in four matches.

Gaikwad is one of the favourite candidates to win the Orange Cap this time and made his intentions clear in the opening match of the season with a well-made 92-run knock against defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Gaikwad is currently in the standings for the Orange Cap and trails Shikhar Dhawan (233 runs) at the top by 36 runs.

Could Ruturaj lead CSK vs RCB?

With question marks surrounding the availability of MS Dhoni for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) clash on Monday at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Ruturaj could be the surprise package for CSK. If Dhoni fails to make the matchday squad due to the knee issue, the Maharashtra batter could lead the side.

On the horizon, Jadhav also mentioned Ben Stokes as an option to lead the CSK side, if the franchise decides to go for an experienced candidate. Stokes is the skipper of the England Test side and has been on an impressive run as a skipper ever since he took charge from Joe Root in June 2022.

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