MS Dhoni is still the captain of CSK team, Ruturaj Gaikwad is a paper captain: Ex-Indian cricketer

Former Indian cricketer and analyst Mohammad Kaif asserted that MS Dhoni would still be the captain of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and Ruturaj Gaikwad will be a paper captain in the upcoming IPL 2026 season.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Mohammad Kaif stated that MS Dhoni's role goes far beyond that of a mere impact player, adding that he’s on the field to guide Ruturaj Gaikwad as a mentor.

"Dhoni does not bat anyway. He is playing to keep 20 overs and to captain 20 overs. He is playing to guide the players. He is there to guide Gaikwad. He is playing only for this, as a mentor and captain," he said.

"On paper, Gaikwad may be the captain, but till Dhoni is on the field, things are in his hands. There is no doubt about what he does. So I do not think he will play as an impact player. Either he will rule himself out, but no chance of him being an impact player," he added.

Furthermore, Speaking about the veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja’s trade to the Rajasthan Royals, Kaif reckoned that the all-rounder wouldn’t emerge as the captain of the franchise. He went on to add that Riyan Parag would become the full-time captain of the franchise in the forthcoming season.

"Ravindra Jadeja will not become captain. The reason is they have been grooming Riyan Parag and invested a lot on him. Parag had replaced Samson as captain for a few matches due to the former’s injury. He is still learning the trade but Kumar Sangakkara is there and knows Parag for a lot of time now. When Jadeja was in Royals at the very start, Sangakkara was not there,” he concluded.

It’s worth noting that RR will enter the IPL 2026 Auction with a purse of INR 16.05 Crore.

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