MS Dhoni will lead Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for the remainder of IPL 2025 after Ruturaj Gaikwad was sidelined with an elbow injury. Head coach Stephen Fleming confirmed the news before CSK’s upcoming home clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday.
Gaikwad sustained the injury during CSK’s match against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on March 30. A delivery from Tushar Deshpande struck his unprotected elbow early in the innings. Despite the injury, Gaikwad managed to score 63 and featured in two more matches afterward. However, after an MRI scan revealed a fracture in the radial neck of his elbow, he was ruled out of the tournament. Gaikwad had scored 122 runs in five matches at a strike rate of 150.61, and was CSK’s second-highest run-scorer this season. He was also their top scorer in IPL 2024.
Fleming praised Gaikwad’s efforts to play through the pain but confirmed he would take no further part in the season. “We feel for him,” said Fleming. “He’s shown great commitment, but now he needs to rest and recover.”
With Gaikwad sidelined, the iconic 43-year-old MS Dhoni will return to lead CSK once again. He had previously captained the franchise from 2008 to 2024, winning five IPL titles and two Champions League T20 trophies. Dhoni had handed over captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja in 2022 and to Gaikwad in 2024, but returns to the role in CSK’s time of need.
Fleming also mentioned that CSK will look at in-squad options to strengthen the team for the rest of the season and the future. Currently ninth on the table, CSK have a tough road ahead, with away games against LSG and MI coming up.
Leave a Reply