Is Ruturaj Gaikwad playing CSK vs DC IPL 2025 match? Who will be CSK captain?

Chennai Super Kings’s last game in IPL 2025 saw Ruturaj Gaikwad play a brilliant knock of 63 off 44 balls against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati. Had he stayed till the end, he could have taken his team home but CSK fell six runs short. Gaikwad is leading the charge with the bat for the team, scoring 116 runs in three games at an average and a strike rate of 38.67 and 156.76, respectively. However, in what has come a big blow to the team's ambitions, the 28-year-old might not be playing CSK’s next game against Delhi Capitals on Sunday. 

He suffered a blow to his elbow, courtesy of a short ball from Tushar Deshpande in the second over of CSK’s innings during the game. As per reports, it seems unlikely he would recover in time and might have to sit out for the clash against DC. It will be a huge setback for the team if he misses out, given the kind of form he is in. 

CSK’s batting coach Michael Hussey looked a bit sceptical but he was hopeful that Gaikwad would be fit in time. 

"Yeah, we're hoping he [Gaikwad] is going to try and have a bat today for training," Mike Hussey, CSK's batting coach, said at his press conference on the eve of the match against DC. "And, yeah, it [elbow] is still a little bit sore, but it's improving every day. So, we're very hopeful that he'll be fine for tomorrow.”

Who leads CSK if Gaikwad misses out?

Hussey said that the team didn’t focus too much on who would lead the team if Gaikwad would be unavailable for the clash. However, he added that both the coach and skipper would have had a conversation in that regard. He also mentioned a ‘young wicket-keeper’ in the side could take that role, who has a bit of a leadership experience- perhaps hinting at MS Dhoni. 

There is a huge possibility that MS Dhoni would lead the side if Gaikwad misses out on the important clash. It is pertinent to note that the five-time IPL champion last led the side during the 2023 edition of the cash-rich league. Under his leadership, CSK lifted their fifth IPL trophy. Before the start of the 2024 season, he passed on the baton to Ruturaj Gaikwad. 

If he comes out to lead CSK on Saturday against DC, then it will mark his 213th outing as captain of Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League.