Ajinkya Rahane shares insights on playing under MS Dhoni's captaincy and learning from him again

Ajinkya Rahane made a comeback in Indian test setup with good performances in IPL 2023 under MS Dhoni for CSK.

Ajinkya Rahane, the veteran Indian batsman, has spoken about his experience playing under MS Dhoni's leadership for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League. After two lackluster seasons, Rahane has made a strong comeback in the ongoing season, playing in the yellow jersey. He has scored 266 runs in 9 matches at an impressive average of 38.00, with a strike rate of 171.61, making him an integral part of the CSK batting lineup.

International career under Dhoni's leadership

Rahane's international career began under Dhoni's leadership, and his consistent performances as CSK batsman has earned him a place back in the Indian team, where he now plays alongside his former captain. Praising Dhoni's leadership skills, Rahane stated that he learned a great deal from him and has tried to replicate his approach in managing individuals when leading the Indian team.

Ajinkya Rahane praises Dhoni's leadership skills

Rahane, who started his international career under MS Dhoni’s leadership, opened up about his experience playing under the legendary skipper for Chennai Super Kings. According to him, playing under Dhoni gave him the freedom to express himself, which helped him rediscover his form in the current IPL season. He also added that he has learned a lot from Dhoni and tried to manage the individuals in the same way when he led the Indian team.

“My first captain was MS and I learned a lot from him from his captaincy and leadership. When I was the captain or whenever I led a team, for me it was all about managing each and every individual differently. Because every individual has a different method and a playing style. So, for me, it’s all about having that one-on-one conversation that’s what I always believe in," Rahane said on CSK website.

Excitement about playing under Dhoni again

Rahane, who was signed by CSK in the IPL 2023 mini-auction for the base price of INR 50 Lakh, expressed his excitement about playing under Dhoni again, stating that it is a big thing for him and that he expects to learn a lot from the former Indian skipper this season.

“But coming here and playing under MS again for me, it’s a very big thing. I am going to learn a lot from him for sure. But giving inputs to MS, I am not too sure about that. He is experienced and we all know that he is the leader. He manages it really well. He understands the game really well. One thing I am sure about is that I will learn a lot from him this season," said Rahane.