NEW DELHI: Chennai Super Kings were dealt a major blow on Thursday as regular skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the IPL due to an elbow injury. The setback has paved the way for Mahendra Singh Dhoni to return as captain for the remainder of the season, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming confirmed.
“We have an uncapped player, MS Dhoni, who will take over as captain for the remainder of the IPL,” Fleming told mediapersons ahead of Friday’s clash against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Dhoni, who captained CSK from 2008 to 2023 and led them to five IPL titles, had handed over the reins to Gaikwad ahead of the 2024 season.
Ahead of the upcoming fixture, Dhoni was seen practicing at the Chepauk nets when his former CSK teammate Dwayne Bravo—now the mentor of Kolkata Knight Riders—came over to greet him.
“The traitor is here,” Dhoni remarked.
“Life is so unfair,” Bravo responded before sharing a hug with Ravindra Jadeja and then shaking hands with Dhoni.
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Bravo was part of Chennai Super Kings’ IPL title-winning squads in 2011, 2018, and 2021. He also served as the franchise’s bowling coach during their victorious 2023 campaign.
However, ahead of the 2025 season, Bravo parted ways with CSK’s coaching setup and took up the role of mentor with Kolkata Knight Riders.
With Gaikwad sidelined, CSK now face a selection dilemma. Rahul Tripathi could return to the top order, although his form has been far from convincing.
In the middle order, seasoned campaigner Deepak Hooda is a likely option, while the team might also look to inject fresh energy with young Delhi batter Vansh Bedi, known for his late-innings hitting ability.
CSK are also entitled to a replacement for Gaikwad, with Mumbai teenager Ayush Mhatre being considered for the slot.
Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, points table and IPL live score for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Don’t miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple cap.
