NEW DELHI: The fans were all set—thunderous roars, cheers, claps, and deafening hoots echoed across the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. They had gathered in anticipation of seeing their beloved 'Thala', Mahendra Singh Dhoni, walk out for the toss on Saturday. But the excitement quickly turned to disappointment when it was Ruturaj Gaikwad, not Dhoni, who strode out alongside Delhi Capitals skipper Axar Patel.
The buzz fizzled out. The crowd, expecting a nostalgic return of Dhoni as stand-in captain, fell silent. Dhoni was widely expected to lead Chennai Super Kings against Delhi Capitals in the absence of Gaikwad, who had suffered an elbow injury during CSK’s last match against Rajasthan Royals.
