Ruturaj Gaikwad ruled out; CSK announces new captain

CHENNAI: Ruturaj Gaikwad has been relieved of his captaincy duties at Chennai Super Kings following a knee injury that has sidelined him for the rest of the season. With his unavailability confirmed, CSK has named a new leader. The team’s iconic captain and veteran player, MS Dhoni, will take charge and lead the side for the remaining fixtures of the season.

Gaikwad got injured while facing a delivery from Royals pacer and former CSK player Tushar Deshpande during the match against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati. Head coach Stephen Fleming announced that MS Dhoni would take over as captain. Dhoni will lead the team starting from Friday’s match against Kolkata Knight Riders in Chennai.

Although Gaikwad continued to play against Delhi and Punjab after the injury against Rajasthan, a detailed scan later confirmed a fracture in his knee. This led to the decision to appoint a new captain, said Fleming. Gaikwad was CSK’s top scorer in three of the last four seasons.

CSK last won the title under Dhoni’s captaincy in the 2023 season. In the 2022 season, captaincy responsibilities were given to Ravindra Jadeja, but Dhoni returned to the role following an underwhelming performance by the team. Ruturaj Gaikwad stepped in as captain at the start of the 2024 season. Over the course of IPL history, Dhoni has led Chennai Super Kings in 235 out of 268 matches, steering the franchise to five IPL titles.