Sanjay Bangar reckons MS Dhoni might relinquish captaincy in next year's IPL

Sanjay Bangar reckons that Mahendra Singh Dhoni might not lead Chennai in the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The former champions had a forgettable year as nothing went right for them and they had to make an early exit from the mega event. Even MS Dhoni who had made his return to competitive cricket after more than 14 months could not make his bat do the talking as well as he could only manage 200 runs in 14 matches.

'May not be the captain': Sanjay Bangar

“So as far as I can understand, I feel that MS Dhoni may not be the captain next year and may play as a player and give the captaincy at this stage to Faf du Plessis for the transition to happen under Faf du Plessis. Because as of now, they do not have any other option as a captain, and if you talk outside the team, in the auction or in the trading, none of the teams would be releasing a player who has the capability of becoming the captain of Chennai", said the former Indian batting coach while interacting on Star Sports’ chat show Cricket Connected.

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Chennai in Dream11 IPL 2020

The three-time winners had a forgettable outing in this year's marquee tournament. Two of their important players, as well as veterans- Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh, had backed out even before the start of the tournament citing personal reasons. Dhoni & Co. did manage to win the curtain-raiser against arch-rivals and eventual champions Mumbai but just could not carry on from their own as they ran out of fire & brimstone. 

The eight-time finalists finished the competition at the seventh position with 12 points from 14 matches. At the same time, this was also the first time that the MS Dhoni-led side had failed to make the playoffs ever since the inception of this league in 2008.

They knocked out the 2014 finalists Punjab in their last match of the season and a couple of days later, one of their premier veterans, as well as the hero of the 2018 final Shane Watson, bid adieu to the franchise by announcing his retirement from all forms of the game. 

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