Chennai Super Kings won their fifth title after winning 16th edition. They won the final against Gujarat Titans. With that win, they equaled the Mumbai Indians record for five IPL titles. MS Dhoni led his team to a record five IPL titles.
It was an excellent comeback by CSK, as they finished the previous season in 2022 in ninth place, winning only four games out of 14. But what changes did CSK apply in 2023. Though not just bad performances, there was some news related to a rift between Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni with the franchise.
Jadeja was given the captaincy ahead of the 2022 edition, but it didn’t work well, and Dhoni led the team in midway. Later, the all-rounder was also ruled out due to an injury. After the season, Jadeja also unfollowed the franchise from his social media profile.
Many believed that there was something wrong between Jadeja and Dhoni. But in 2023, everything looked pretty well, which resulted in them winning the season. However, former CSK star Ambati Rayudu made a revelation on that episode. Notably, Rayudu recently retired from the IPL after CSK won the title.
In an interview with the BehindWoodsTV YouTube channel, Rayudu said, “I don’t think Jaddu (Jadeja) was upset with Mahi bhai at all. It was just that he was sad because the team wasn’t doing great. Everyone’s performances that year were not coming up to the mark.”
The former CSK star also lauded Dhoni for grooming Jadeja for the past 10–12 years, which resulted in him becoming the match-winner that he is now. Jadeja played a crucial cameo in the IPL 2023 final, hitting a six and a four to win the title for his team.
On the other hand, the all-rounder also ended the speculation of a rift between him and Dhoni. After winning the fifth title, he congratulated everyone and dedicated the win to MS Dhoni. He said, “I’d like to dedicate this win to a special member of the CSK side, MS Dhoni.”
