Will MS Dhoni Lead CSK till end of this Season?

In a huge blow for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the entire season of IPL 2025. In his absence, former CSK captain MS Dhoni will lead the team for the rest of the season.

Gaikwad is one of the key players of the team over the years, and Chennai Super Kings will feel his absence. The opener has been the highest run-getter for CSK ever since he became a regular member of the team. He has scored loads of runs at the top of the order and is also regarded as an excellent player of spin.

MS Dhoni to replace Ruturaj Gaikwad

With Ruturaj Gaikwad unavailable, the legendary MS Dhoni will be back with the leadership duties. Dhoni is not new to this role and has achieved an unprecedented amount of success with Chennai Super Kings in the past.

CSK head coach Stephen Fleming confirmed Gaikwad's injury on the eve of the team's match against Kolkata Knight Riders, which will be played in Chennai. Fleming also made it clear that Dhoni will be leading CSK for the remaining season.

“He (Ruturaj Gaikwad) got hit in Guwahati. He's been operating with an amount of pain. We got an X-ray, which was inconclusive, and we had an MRI, which revealed a fracture in his elbow, in the radial neck,” Fleming told the media.

"So we're disappointed and feel for him. We appreciate the efforts that he's gone to in terms of trying to play, but unfortunately, he'd be out of the tournament from now on. We have an uncapped player, MS Dhoni, who will take over as captain for the remainder of the IPL," he added.

How did Ruturaj Gaikwad get injured?

Ruturaj Gaikwad injured himself during CSK's match against Rajasthan Royals, which was played on March 30. He was brutally hit on his elbow while trying to step out to the fast bowler Tushar Deshpande.

While he went on to play two more matches, it is believed his injury has aggravated, leading to his ouster from the rest of the tournament. It is a huge blow for CSK who are already in dire straits, having lost four matches in a row.

MS Dhoni's records as CSK captain

MS Dhoni has led CSK to a record five IPL titles. He is the joint-most successful captain in IPL history alongside Rohit Sharma. Under Dhoni, CSK won their last IPL title, in 2023. However, he decided to give up the captaincy after the title win and Ruturaj Gaikwad took over the role from 2024.

CSK have struggled since Gaikwad took over the full-time captaincy. They failed to qualify for the playoffs in 2024 and have already lost four out of five matches in the ongoing season.