Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the rest of the season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 due to an elbow injury, and the former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni will lead Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in his absence. (Schedule | Teams | Points Table)
CSK head coach Stephen Fleming confirmed Gaikwad's injury on Thursday. Dhoni is set to lead CSK from their next match against the Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday in Chennai.
Ruturaj Gaikwad will not feature in any of CSK's matches for the rest of the tournament after suffering an elbow fracture.
Gaikwad sustained an elbow injury while facing Tushar Deshpande during CSK's match against the Rajasthan Royals on March 30. Although he played in the subsequent two matches against the Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings, scans have now confirmed that he has a fracture.
This injury is a significant setback for the five-time champions, who have already lost four of their first five matches this season. They will now be without their captain and key batsman, adding to the struggles of an already underperforming top order. Notably, Gaikwad has been CSK's leading run-scorer in three of the last four seasons.
CSK are currently placed in ninth place in the points table after four losses in five matches. With nine matches left before the playoffs, the former champions will try to make their way to the Knockouts.
CSK named Gaikwad their new captain before the start of their first match of the last season, and CSK failed to qualify for the playoffs. CSK have won five IPL titles under MS Dhoni's leadership.
