Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has admitted that he was surprised after Chennai Super Kings (CSK) named Ravindra Jadeja as their captain ahead of IPL 2022. The former cricketer feels Dhoni’s shoes were always going to be too big for the all-rounder to fill.
Jadeja managed to win only two games out of eight appearances before MS Dhoni was reappointed as Chennai’s captain. Dhoni reiterated that relieving Jadeja of his additional duties will help him concentrate on his game better.
Speaking on ‘The Grade Cricketer’ podcast, Shane Watson explained why he sympathized with what Ravindra Jadeja has had to go through in the past month. He said, “When I had initially heard that Jadeja was going to take over, I was blown away!”
“Because everyone knows the kind of respect and aura that MS Dhoni has on the field, it was always going to be difficult for Jadeja no matter what. In the end, I do feel a little bit sorry for Jadeja, because he is a great cricketer and is only getting better.”
“If MS wants to play on, he can absolutely do whatever he wants” – Shane Watson
MS Dhoni is one of the best cricketers in modern-day cricket. Shane Watson believes CSK skipper Dhoni has earned the right to decide when he wants to step down from the captaincy and hang up his boots.
“Even though Jadeja was told that he would potentially take over, things do change. If MS wants to play on, he can absolutely do whatever he wants. He has led CSK to another championship. Also deep down he had a point to prove in his batting and he showed that this season. The whole franchise is built around MS, whether it’s just the leadership structure, team dynamics. He is the man to lead the franchise,” Watson concluded.
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