Suresh Raina predicts Ben Stokes as next CSK captain after MS Dhoni

Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have been searching for MS Dhoni’s replacement as a captain. 

CSK went with Ravindra Jadeja before the start of the 2022 season. However CSK got off to a forgettable start last season. 

Subsequently, Dhoni had to take over the reign of the team again. However, the four-time IPL champions have roped in England all-rounder Ben Stokes for a whopping amount of Rs 16.25 crore at the mini-auction in Kochi on Friday. The move has triggered speculations among fans about Stokes as captaincy material.

Giving his verdict on CSK’s expensive purchase, former CSK star Suresh Raina opined that Dhoni would definitely groom Stokes as a future captain. The former southpaw also hinted that the latter might take over the role as the skipper of the team in the 2024 season of the cash-rich league.

“Surely, Dhoni will groom Stokes. He is a World Champion and did really very well in the T20 World Cup for the team. He also led his team to a Test series win in Pakistan. So, he is in a good frame of mind. Also, his cricketing brain will be very useful for the youngsters at the Chennai camp. The Chennai crowd is going to love him,” Rain said.

Meanwhile, as per former New Zealand cricketer Scott Styris, CSK’s decision to buy England Test skipper and all-rounder Ben Stokes is an attempt to find a successor to skipper Dhoni.