‘Just 2 days before, didn’t understand that. Must be mentally tired’: Shoaib Akhtar reacts to Dhoni’s CSK captaincy call | Cricket

MS Dhoni’s timing with his big announcements has always been a huge talking point in his career. The Test captaincy back in 2014 during the tour of Australia, his retirement call in August 2020 and finally his decision to step down from the captaincy position at Chennai Super Kings, which came just two days before the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL). And former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar questioned the very same, admitting that it had left him befuddled. 

Fans called it an end of an era as CSK made the big announcement in Thursday evening, two days before the IPL 2022 opener between the defending champions and Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium. Ravindra Jadeja was handed over the baton by Dhoni. 

Speaking to Sportskeeda on the decision, the Pakistan cricket legend felt that Dhoni must have been “mentally tired”. He however backed Jadeja for the new role and hailed Dhoni as the “best player in IPL”. 

IPL 2022, CSK vs KKR Live Cricket Score

“Having said that, two days before IPL…really did not understand that, to be very honest. Jadeja is obviously a very fine cricketer and he will try to the best of his ability to lead the team forward. But Dhoni is one of the mind in cricket that you can always count on. He is still the best player in the IPL. I think he must have been mentally tired. He must have thought of handing someone else the responsibility and playing freely,” he said. 

Not just his fans even the franchise members were left shocked by the announcement, as admitted by CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan during a discussion on the franchise’s YouTube channel.

“When I heard the news, I was a little bit surprised. I didn’t expect that coming from MS at this point of time. That is my personal view. The fact is whatever MS does, as far as CSK is concerned, he will do it in the best interests of the franchise. He is been one of the most important players a captain, a wicketkeeper, an all-rounder, for CSK. I think whatever he does, whatever decision he takes, will be the right decision for CSK because I know he has the interests of CSK foremost in his mind,” he said.