Ben Stokes will replace MS Dhoni as CSK captain straightaway in IPL 2023, says Ex-New Zealand star Scott Styris, READ inside

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) solved majority of their problems when they bought England Test captain and star all-rounder Ben Stokes at IPL 2023 Mini Auction in Kochi on Fridat (December 23). Chennai went after Sam Curran for a while too but went the bidding went too far, they stopped chasing the star England all-rounder, who was also the Player of the Series in ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022. If former New Zealand captain Scott Styris is to be believed, he feels Stokes can replace Dhoni straightaway as captain of the Chennai Super Kings. 

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"I think so, I think he will be captain. We have seen MS Dhoni try and pass the captaincy on, he has not been playing cricket regularly in between the IPL. It`s just an opportunity for MS Dhoni to pass the baton. I think yes, they will do it straight away. Ben Stokes will be captain," Styris was speaking as part of the expert panel at Jio Cinema.

Stokes was bought by Super Kings for a sum of Rs 16.25 crore. Stokes has just won the T20 World Cup with England in Australia. He has already retired from ODIs and leads Three Lions in the Test. His focus remains only 2 formats as he wanted to give himself some break in a calendar packed with cricket. But Stokes has made up his mind for IPL, saying that he wants to play in the cash-rich league. 

Signed __and Stamped_
_Destination: 6__0__0__0__0__5__ _#WhistlePodu #SuperAuction __ pic.twitter.com/0jlafz9v1n— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) December 23, 2022

Dhoni has been searching for an able captain to pass on the baton for a long time. He tried giving Ravindra Jadeja a chance but after a poor show in the few matches at the start of IPL 2022, Jadeja handed over the captaincy back to MSD. In Stokes, Dhoni now has a contender to lead the team which has won the IPL 4 times.