IPL 2022 | MS Dhoni stepped away exactly at the right time, states AB De Villiers

IPL 2022 is set to commence on Saturday with the season opener between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The season will be a new beginning for CSK as the leadership role has been handed over to Ravindra Jadeja by MS Dhoni ahead of the season. Jadeja has never captained any IPL franchise and it will be a new experience for him. 

Having already retired from international cricket, Dhoni has been away from the game for many months. Former South Africa cricketer AB De Villiers has remarked on the decision saying that it was the right time to step away from the leadership role for him. 

"I am not surprised by MS' move. I am actually quite happy for him. Having carried that burden for so long, people might think that it is easy to be captain, but it really wears you down. You have sleepless nights sometimes, especially when you don't have good seasons,” De Villiers said during a discussion on VUSport Scouts.

"But I think he stepped away at exactly the right time, having won the last IPL. The season before the last would have hurt him a lot. To come back and win the trophy and then say 'I'll still play but someone else takes over and I'll be there to support', it's the perfect move.”

The team will now expect some power-hitting from Dhoni in the lower order as he will be without any burden of the captaincy duties. The star batsman managed just 114 runs in 16 matches at an average of less than 20 but he played a crucial match-winning cameo in a qualifier against Delhi last season. De Villiers shared that he would be excited watch Dhoni as the wicketkeeper-batsman will be able to play freely. 

"I am excited to watch MS just enjoy himself, to hit those big sixes again. Not to think too much about strategies and having to monitor guys. He can just go out there and hit sixes and entertain the entire world with what he does best, and that is to play cricket and win games," de Villiers said.