“Don’t think MS Dhoni will play the full season”: Simon Doull thinks Faf du Plessis will replace MS Dhoni as CSK captain in IPL 2022

Faf du Plessis will replace MS Dhoni: The former pacer from New Zealand has put forward a left-field option for Chennai Super Kings.

Former New Zealand fast bowler Simon Doull has shared names of four cricketers which according to him should be retained by Indian Premier League defending champions Chennai Super Kings ahead of IPL 2022 auction.

With captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni had confirmed himself getting retained earlier this month, Doull highlighted three players who should be retained in addition to Dhoni.

“Ravindra Jadeja, he is Mr. Chennai as well. He has got to be retained. What we saw from Ruturaj Gaikwad, I think he must be retained. You don’t want to let him go anywhere and the combination at the top of the order between him and Faf du Plessis,” Doull was quoted as saying by Star Sports, where he is commentating in the ongoing Test series between India and New Zealand.

Considering the multiple areas in which all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja contributes on a cricket field, him getting retained won’t be a surprise by any means. As far as opening batters Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis are concerned, both of them had finished IPL 2021 as its top run-getters.

Simon Doull thinks Faf du Plessis will replace MS Dhoni as CSK captain in IPL 2022

While Dhoni will start as Super Kings’s captain in IPL 2022, Doull believes that he will step aside at some point in the season especially after playing his farewell match in Chennai. Doull didn’t mince his words while nominating du Plessis as Dhoni’s replacement in the leadership role.

“When MS Dhoni decides to play his final game, Faf du Plessis will take over the captaincy in April-May next year. That’s my thinking and I don’t think MS Dhoni will play the full season. Faf du Plessis will take over from him. But there will be a home game where they will announce it will be MSD’s last game and Faf will take over from there,” Doull added.

In the 99 matches that du Plessis has played for Chennai across seven seasons, his 2,932 runs have come at an average and strike rate of 34.90 and 132.07 with the help of 21 half-centuries.

While there is no doubting du Plessis’ record as a batter, it will still be interesting to see if CSK retain the 37-year old player or not. With Moeen Ali and Sam Curran among other options for retention, picking one out of these three overseas players will be no mean task for the franchise.