'There wasn't a dry eye' - Stephen Fleming reveals dressing room scenes after Dhoni broke captaincy news

In a surprising turn of events for Chennai Super Kings players and fans, MS Dhoni, the legendary captain who led CSK to five IPL titles, made an emotional decision to step down from captaincy. The announcement came just ahead of the 2024 season, which is potentially his last in the league.

The iconic wicketkeeper-batter gathered his teammates just a day before the opening clash of the tournament against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to break the news that left the entire dressing room overwhelmed with emotions.

Also Read: Chennai Super Kings CEO Kasi Viswanathan reacts on MS Dhoni stepping down from captaincy

'A whole lot of tears' - Stephen Fleming

The news came as a surprise to most, even though speculation was that Dhoni might give up captaincy in the seasons ahead. The 42-year-old announced that young Ruturaj Gaikwad would take up the role of leading CSK while he would focus solely on his batting and wicket-keeping duties. The moment was described as a flood of emotions for many in the dressing room by head coach Stephen Fleming.

"(When Dhoni broke the news) there were a lot of emotions. A whole lot of tears. There wasn't a dry eye in the dressing room. Everyone was moved. Last time (when CSK changed the captain) we weren't as prepared for MS to move and for a change in leadership," Fleming told NDTV Sports.

The quotes from Fleming sums up the depth of the bond Dhoni shares with his teammates. He had earlier also given up captaincy in the 2022 season, handing it over to Ravindra Jadeja. But the team couldn't find much success under the all-rounder which forced Dhoni to take back the reigns.

Also Read: Chennai Super Kings appoint Ruturaj Gaikwad as new skipper replacing MS Dhoni

Giving the captaincy charge to Ruturaj appears to be a calculative decision as he is the new face and future of the franchise. The opener started his IPL career under Dhoni. With the latter being around for this season Gaikwad will surely have a hand over his shoulder whenever in doubt.