Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025) because of a hairline fracture in his elbow.
The legendary MS Dhoni is ready to captain CSK for the remainder of the season, as confirmed by head coach Stephen Fleming prior to their upcoming match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday, April 11.
Before CSK’s final match against Punjab Kings, there were rumors about their captain Gaikwad sustaining an injury. However, he ultimately played in the match as CSK fell short by 18 runs.
The franchise notified their supporters of the leadership transition via a post on their X account, wishing Gaikwad a quick recovery. He received a hit on his right forearm during their loss to the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Guwahati.
“Ruturaj Gaikwad ruled out of the season due to a hairline fracture of the elbow. MS DHONI TO LEAD. GET WELL SOON, RUTU !,” posted CSK on their X account.
CSK head coach Stephen Fleming disclosed that an MRI scan showed the severity of Ruturaj Gaikwad’s injury and named MS Dhoni as the captain for the remainder of the season during the pre-match press conference prior to their upcoming game against KKR.
“He 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,” said Fleming.
“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. We have an uncapped player, MS Dhoni, who will take over as captain for the remainder of the IPL,” he added.