MS Dhoni will take command of the CSK captaincy for the remainder of the IPL 2025 after Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the tournament with an injury.
CSK head coach, Stephen Flemming confirmed the development on Thursday. They are set to play their next home game against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Ruturaj Gaikwad sustained an elbow injury while facing Tushar Deshpande in the match against Rajasthan Royals on March 30. However, he featured in the next two games against Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings. Scans have now confirmed that it is a fracture and he will not be able to participate further in the tournament.
It is a massive blow for CSK, especially when they lost four of their first five matches in the league. They are currently in ninth position in the standings. Gaikwad was one of the key Indian batters for CSK, now they will have to look for an alternative. The batting unit of CSK is misfiring this year. Gaikwad has been the leading run-scorer in three of the last four IPL seasons.
With Gaikwad ruled out for the remainder of the IPL 2025, the 43-year-old young MS Dhoni will take charge of the CSK team. He will reclaim the role of the CSK captaincy that he’s held for the majority of the franchise’s history. In 2022, he handed over the reins briefly to Ravindra Jadeja, but that didn’t work. Midway through a turbulent season, he took charge again of the CSK team.
Dhoni also stepped aside once more from the 2024 season, however, he is now back at the helm of CSK. It falls on Dhoni now to revive the faltering campaign of CSK in 2025.
Under his captaincy, CSK has clinched five IPL titles in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023. CSK has reached the finals 10 times under the leadership of MS Dhoni.