Chennai: In a surprise move, Ruturaj Gaikwad on Thursday replaced the legendary M S Dhoni as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain a day before the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024  opener.

In a post on X, the IPL revealed the development. CSK take on Royal Challengers Bangalore in the inaugural match.

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Gaikwad, who has played six ODIs and 19 T20s for India, made his CSK debut in 2020 and has gone on to represent the five-time IPL champions in 52 games.

The stylish opener had a memorable run last year, aggregating 590 runs in 16 games at an impressive strike rate of 147.50.

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"M S Dhoni has handed over Chennai Super Kings' captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of the start of TATA IPL 2024. Ruturaj has been an integral part of Chennai Super Kings since 2019 and has played 52 matches in IPL during this period," CSK said in a statement on their website.

"The team looks forward to the upcoming season," the statement added.

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Dhoni is expected to retire at the end of the season and therefore the franchise felt the need for a smooth transition in his presence as a player.

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