Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have been dealt a major blow as Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out for the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. The top-order batter suffered a hairline fracture in his elbow during CSK’s earlier match against Rajasthan Royals, and will no longer be available this season.

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CSK head coach Stephen Fleming confirmed the news during the pre-match press conference ahead of their clash with Kolkata Knight Riders at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

With Gaikwad sidelined former captain MS Dhoni will once again take over as captain of CSK. This will be his first time leading the team since guiding them to their fifth IPL title in 2023. Dhoni’s return to the helm is expected to provide a much-needed morale boost to the struggling CSK camp who are looking to bounce back after a poor run of form.

Later in the day CSK’s official social media handles posted a heartfelt video from Gaikwad where he spoke about his injury and the team’s situation

“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,” Gaikwad said.

“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.”