New Delhi, Mar 21 (IANS): Right-handed opening batter Ruturaj Gaikwad will be the new captain of Chennai Super Kings ahead of their IPL 2024 season opener against the Royal Challengers Bangalore at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday.

“MS Dhoni has handed over Chennai Super Kings’ captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of the start of IPL 2024. Ruturaj has been an integral part of Chennai Super Kings since 2019 and has played 52 matches in IPL during this period. The team looks forward to the upcoming season,” said the franchise in a statement on its official website.

The tournament also made the announcement of Gaikwad’s appointment as CSK skipper through its social media accounts on Thursday, when he participated in a pre-captains photoshoot and met other teams’ skippers’ too. It will be the first time Pune-based Gaikwad will be the captain in the tournament.

This will only be just the second time MS Dhoni won't start an IPL season as skipper of CSK, after Ravindra Jadeja had been the captain in IPL 2022, only for him to be replaced mid-way by the legendary wicketkeeper-batter.