The IPL 2023 opening match pits the defending champion Gujarat Titans against the up-and-coming Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Super Kings will be looking to make amends for their disappointing performance in the 2016 IPL season.

Former Australian and Chennai Super Kings opener Mathew Hayden has expressed scepticism against the ‘Dad’s Army’ campaign being led by MS Dhoni in IPL 2023. Hayden has stated that MS Dhoni must take charge and play a significant role for his team to be successful.

Matthew Hayden wants MS Dhoni to take on a larger role for CSK in the upcoming IPL 2023

Matthew Hayden, a former Australian legend, thinks Chennai’s seasoned players like Dhoni and Rayudu will be crucial. He expects Dhoni to do more than just be a leader in the locker room and take charge of the team’s performance.

“They have had this for a little, that they’re kind of a Dad’s Army – a tagline that they seem to have received. This year is a little bit the same as well,” said Matthew Hayden.

“MS Dhoni (41) is of an age like Ambati Rayudu (37) where they really need to be key players, not just have the potential as leaders of the team. So those two key players in particular, with that age of their side, is it going to be experienced or is it going to be the decline of CSK?” he added.

Chennai was the ninth-place finisher in the previous season, making them the second-worst team. Out of fourteen games, they won just four. Midway through the 2022 season, MS Dhoni replaced Ravindra Jadeja as captain. Super Kings also had the fewest victories in 2020, with just six.

Chennai Super Kings, though, has undergone some major adjustments for the upcoming IPL season 16. Some notable players, including Dwayne Bravo, Chris Jordan, and Robin Uthappa, were released. Meanwhile, they’ve added steel to their batting unit by signing England’s Test captain Ben Stokes for a hefty INR 16.25 crore.