MS Dhoni to Captain Chennai Super Kings for 200th Time in IPL 2023 Match Against Rajasthan Royals
Chennai Super Kings’ home game against Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Wednesday is set to witness a historic moment at the Chepauk stadium. ‘Thala’ MS Dhoni is all set to captain CSK for the 200th time against the Royals, bringing another reason to celebrate for a usually packed ground. Dhoni is going to be the first captain to lead a team 200 times in the IPL.
For the record, Dhoni has led 213 times in the IPL – he had also captained Rising Pune Supergiants 14 times in 2016. He has led CSK 199 times and will create history when he walks out for the toss against RR. Dhoni is the most consistent skipper in IPL history, having led CSK to four IPL titles (2010, 2011, 2018, and 2021 editions). Though Mumbai Indians (MI) have won five IPL trophies, M.S.-led CSK enjoys the advantage of consistency. He has led CSK to the final four stage of the tournament in 11 out of 13 editions of the league, with the side finishing as runners-up on five occasions. Dhoni has captained on 213 occasions in IPL, out of which he has won 125 matches, lost 87 and one match failed to produce a result. His win percentage of 58.96 makes him one of the most successful IPL captains in the long-term.
Jadeja’s admiration for Dhoni
Ahead of the IPL match against Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday, Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja praised skipper M.S. Dhoni and expressed hope that the team would give him a gift on this special milestone in the form of a win at the home ground of the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. “What can I say, he is a legend of Indian cricket. So, I would like to wish him good luck. Hopefully, in his 200th game, we will win in Chepauk, and all the fans will be happy so that we continue the momentum. Hopefully, we win tomorrow, and we give him a gift on his 200th [IPL] match as captain,” said Jadeja, as quoted by the team’s official website in a media interaction ahead of the match.
Dhoni’s success as a batsman
Dhoni is also a highly-accomplished batter in IPL, having scored 5,004 runs in league history at an average of 39.09 and a strike rate of over 135. He has scored 24 half-centuries in his IPL career, with a best of 84*. This occasion will be no doubt special for Dhoni, who is most likely playing his last IPL season, currently at 41 years of age. His side has enough star power to make this occasion a memorable one for the Indian legend with their performances.
Dhoni has had a one-season stint as skipper with Rising Pune Supergiant, a side that existed temporarily in IPL from 2016 to 2017. He could win only five matches and lost nine out of 14 during the 2016 season with the franchise, finishing seventh on the points table. He has led CSK in 199 matches out of 213 so far, having won 120, lost 78 and one failed to produce a result. His win percentage with CSK as skipper is 60.30 per cent.
