A bout of bad luck dashed Ruturaj Gaikwad’s dream of guiding Chennai Super Kings through choppy waters on Thursday, as the CSK captain suffered a hairline fracture to his elbow during a match against Rajasthan Royals, ruling him out of the rest of IPL 2025. While the CSK was struggling with a four-match losing streak, the injury was a big setback, considering Gaikwad was still one of CSK’s key batters in a team that has been struggling to chase targets this season.
Stephen Fleming Confirms Absence of Ruturaj Gaikwad
Head coach Stephen Fleming has confirmed Gaikwad’s absence during the pre-match press conference before their encounter with Kolkata Knight Riders at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
In Gaikwad’s absence, all eyes now fall on MS Dhoni, who will resume captaincy responsibilities for the first time since guiding CSK to a memorable IPL 2023 title.
Ruturaj Gaikwad Posts Heartfelt Message
The 28-year-old Gaikwad took to CSK’s social media to express his disappointment and gratitude. “I am really gutted to miss the rest of the IPL due to an unfortunate elbow injury. I want to thank everyone for your support so far, it truly means a lot,” he said in a heartfelt video message.
CSK’s title challenge has taken a turn since their initial success over Mumbai Indians. Currently trailing ninth on the points table with two points and a negative net run rate of -0.889, they badly needed Gaikwad’s stability and runs at the top.
Ruturaj Gaikwad on MS Dhoni
In his absence, Gaikwad is banking on MS Dhoni CSK’s talisman and on a lighter note, dubbed him the “young wicketkeeper” who would captain the side.
“Yes, it’s been a challenging season, but we’ve got a young wicketkeeper leading the team now, and hopefully things will turn around. I’ll be right there with the squad, supporting them from the dugout,” he said with a smile.
“I would’ve loved to help lift the team out of this situation, but some things are simply out of our control. Looking forward to backing the boys for the rest of the campaign, here’s to a strong finish to the season,” Gaikwad added.
With the wall against it, the return of Dhoni at the helm could prove to be the boost CSK needs to spark a turnaround.