“Captains come and go but a leader like Dhoni comes once in a lifetime” - Ajay Jadeja pays tribute to CSK skipper

Ajay Jadeja has heaped high praise on MS Dhoni following his successful return as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Speaking about the veteran keeper, the former Indian batter said that Dhoni is a special emotion that is hard to put into words.

In a stunning turn of events, Ravindra Jadeja handed the captaincy of Chennai back to his predecessor Dhoni ahead of the franchise’s match against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Sunday, 1 May. The 40-year-old's return as leader had an instant impact as CSK got the better of SRH by 13 runs.

Despite the win, Chennai remain in ninth position in the IPL points table 2022, having secured only three victories in nine matches. According to Ajay Jadeja, though, Dhoni’s return as captain can only be good news for the struggling franchise. Sharing his views on the legendary cricketer, he said on Cricbuzz:

“When Dhoni comes to the fore, it’s always a positive for the Chennai Super Kings. Earlier, it was the same case for India as well. He makes a difference. I am not saying that his captaincy won CSK the last game. It is not like Chennai have not lost matches under Dhoni. Players and captains come and go but a leader like Dhoni comes once in a lifetime. When he is in charge, he is something special. He has been doing this since 2007. If people haven’t understood in 15 years, what Dhoni the captain brings in, there is no point explaining anything to them.”

The 40-year-old’s next challenge will be against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), whom they take on at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune on Wednesday, 4 May.

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“If fit, CSK would definitely want him back” - Ajay Jadeja on Shivam Dube

Asked if he would like to see any changes in the Chennai line-up for the match against Bangalore, Ajay Jadeja replied that Shivam Dube should return to the IPL team if fit. Praising the batting all-rounder, he stated:

“In the earlier games, Dube was the only batter who looked in flow. He was batting at a different level. So if fit, CSK would definitely want him back. If Bravo is injured, it might be difficult for him to recover so soon being a fast bowler. But if he is available, he can come in for Santner. With Conway succeeding at the top, don’t see any other changes.”

Dube was the Player of the Match for his 95* (46) when Chennai took on Bangalore earlier in the season. However, he registered three low scores in subsequent matches and was dropped against SRH.