‘Dhoni’s presence keeps it locked…’: Former India batting coach gives a blunt remark on MS Dhoni’s role

Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar has made a surprising statement about Chennai Super Kings (CSK), suggesting that MS Dhoni’s presence has hindered Ruturaj Gaikwad’s development as a future leader.

Bangar’s comment came just before what might be Dhoni’s final IPL match, as the five-time champions face Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedabad on Sunday. He implied that both Gaikwad and Ravindra Jadeja have struggled to develop as leaders because they have been overshadowed by Dhoni.

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“Ruturaj & Jadeja remain under Dhoni’s shadow, never truly taking their own leap. Always mirroring MS’s mindset, they miss the chance to evolve but Dhoni’s presence keeps it locked, stalling the rise of new leaders,” Bangar said on Star Sports.

Talking about the match, CSK won the toss and elected to bat first against Gujarat Titans (GT) in their final league stage game. Although CSK were eliminated early in IPL 2025, they still managed to disrupt GT’s plans of securing a top-two spot by posting a strong total of 230 runs, thanks to half-centuries from Devon Conway and Dewald Brevis.

CSK went on to register a convincing 83-run victory over Gujarat Titans, as GT’s batting lineup crumbled and they were bowled out for 147.