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Ayushi Singh

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MS Dhoni and Ruturaj Gaikwad

IPL 2025: Change in fate for CSK as MS Dhoni takes the lead? Not so fast, warns Uthappa

Credits: IPL/X

Losing four matches in a row, struggling at the bottom of the points table, and yet Chennai Super Kings is staging a spectacle in IPL 2025. In a season where nothing seems to be going right for the five-time champions, the pit grew deeper on Thursday. CSK will remain without their full-time captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad, for the remainder of the season. The skipper was hit by a beamer on his elbow during the RR vs CSK match in Guwahati. While the batter tried to continue his campaign with the injury, a late report updated that his elbow had sustained a hairline fracture. The fracture subsequently ruled him out of IPL 2025, as the reins of the team returned to their celebrated former skipper, MS Dhoni.

Ruturaj Gaikwad ruled out of IPL 2025 as CSK reins land with MS Dhoni again

IPL 2025 will mark the second instance of MS Dhoni returning to the captaincy post mid-season. Earlier in IPL 2022, when Dhoni passed the captaincy baton to Ravindra Jadeja, CSK marked a shambolic campaign. The team's turn-up remained utterly disappointing as CSK lost 6 matches at the league stage and won just two under Jadeja. The all-rounder, meanwhile, failed to keep up his individual form as well, disappointing with the bat and ball both. As the captain, Jadeja made 112 runs across 8 matches at an average of 22.40 while picking 5 wickets in as many matches as the bowler. Dhoni returned as the captain, winning two matches, but CSK failed to qualify for the playoffs, finishing 9th on the points table with just 4 wins out of the 14 league-stage matches.

Now, as Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of IPL 2025 due to the elbow injury, CSK, once again, has returned to the 43-year-old. So far in the season, Chennai has managed a single victory, the CSK vs MI IPL 2025 campaign opener. Since then, the former champions have lost four in a row, pitted 9th on the IPL 2025 points table. From the looks of it, CSK is struggling with multiple issues that seem to deepen with the exit of Gaikwad. Beyond the instability in the captaincy, Gaikwad's injury leaves CSK devoid of a quality batter, one of the very few who have showed up for the team this season. Before getting hit on his elbow, Gaikwad, batting at No.3 this season, smashed two half-centuries, one in the opener against MI and the other after taking pain-killing meds for his elbow blow, against RR, fighting solely in the chase.

Robin Uthappa highlights the issues with CSK in IPL 2025, warns against hoping for a quick turnaround under MS Dhoni

Now, CSK is tasked with finding an apt replacement for their batter. Moreover, the team's sloppy fielding lies at the core of their failure so far. In 5 matches, CSK has dropped 11 catches, the most by any team this season. While Dhoni returns as the captain, the fault in CSK's star won't be mended as fast as the fans anticipate. Dhoni's credibility as the skipper needs no justification. After claiming back the post in 2022, the four-time champion captain led CSK to their fifth title in IPL 2023. However, CSK this season needs to overcome a plethora of issues to get their campaign back on track. Former CSK pick, Robin Uthappa, explained the same as he warned the audience against hoping for a quick fix on Dhoni's return.

“I don’t think him being captain is going to automatically turn the tide for CSK. There are a lot of gaps in that side, right? Well, how do you fix that? How do you cover for a solid batter like Rutu, who seems like the only one finding some form?” Uthappa said.

In Gaikwad's absence, CSK needs to find the right contender for the No.3 spot. Rahul Tripathi could be their primary prospect, followed by Deepak Hooda. Both the prospects played the earlier matches in the season before being directed to the bench upon abysmal returns. Moreover, Uthappa questioned if the void would allow Chennai Super Kings to bring back Sam Curran into the equation. However, with CSK already playing Noor Ahmad, Matheesha Pathirana, Rachin Ravindra, and Devon Conway in the starting Playing XI, fitting another overseas pick would be a fix. Clearly, a lot of calculations need to go in for CSK to decide on their Playing XI without Gaikwad in it.

“We have Devon Conway, who showed some form in the previous game against Punjab, he scored 69* before getting retired out. Rachin has been a little patchy since the IPL began. You have Rahul Tripathi, who I think will have to come in at number three right now,” Uthappa highlighted.

“Who do they replace to bring in Ruturaj, and what kind of performance will they produce? Sam Curran, does he come back into the fray or not? There’s just so much. There are so many moving pieces, and much will be revealed tomorrow. But will that be enough to revive CSK’s hopes in this campaign?” he added.

Chennai Super Kings, meanwhile, gear up to play their sixth league-stage fixture, the CSK vs KKR IPL 2025 match. The battle with the defending champions brings CSK back to their den at Chepauk, where they have lost two matches so far. With four consecutive defeats in their account, the team is in need of an immediate turnaround if it wants to keep the playoffs hope alive.

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