IPL 2025: Gaikwad ruled out, Dhoni handed CSK captaincy ahead of KKR test

Having lost four games in a row, five-time IPL title-holders Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will be desperate to get their IPL 2025 campaign back on track under Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who has been handed the captaincy after Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the remainder of the season due to a hairline fracture of the elbow.

28-year-old Gaikwad, who has been CSK’s top run-getter in three of the last four seasons, sustained a blow to his elbow while facing Tushar Deshpande in CSK’s March 30 clash against Rajasthan Royals. Though he featured in the next two games against Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings, scans have now confirmed a fracture.

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“Ruturaj Gaikwad ruled out of the IPL with a fracture on elbow. MS Dhoni to take over as captain,” CSK announced on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Dhoni, who had previously led the side to all five titles, before stepping down as captain ahead of the 2024 season, will be under pressure to turn the tide for the side as it prepares to take on defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday.

Having registered a solitary win from five outings so far, CSK are currently languishing at the penultimate spot in the 10-team points table, and thus the pressure is mounting on the home side to reverse their flagging fortunes as another loss could push the team deeper into unfamiliar territory.

Despite an improved showing with the bat in their previous match against Punjab Kings at Mullanpur, where they fell short by 18 runs while chasing a daunting 219, CSK continue to search for answers, especially at their fortress, Chepauk. Once a stronghold, the venue has failed to offer the familiar edge this season, prompting even long-time head coach Stephen Fleming to voice his frustration following a heavy defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

The change in pitch behaviour at Chepauk has in a way affected CSK’s long-standing success formula, particularly for their spin-heavy bowling unit. For the side to regain control of their fortress, CSK has no option but to adapt to the changed surface.

Finisher’s role

The 43-year-old Mahendra Singh Dhoni rolled back the years with a blistering 27 off 12 deliveries against Punjab. His brisk cameo, containing three sixes and a four, raised hopes for CSK’s turnaround in the match before PBKS held their nerves to restrict them. However, that innings could give the Yellow Army a lot of confidence going into the next match.

With skipper Gaikwad being ruled out, the onus will be on the in-form trio of Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra and Shivam Dube to add muscle to the batting line-up.

The bowling will more or less remain the same with Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Choudhary and Matheesha Pathirana handling the pace department and the spin trio of R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Noor Ahmad hoping to turn things around in their backyard.

On the other hand, three-time IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders have their own set of concerns, especially after blowing hot and cold so far in the season. Positioned sixth in the table, the Ajinkya Rahane-led outfit has so far managed only two wins from five matches, and thus are desperately seeking for some consistency.

For that, KKR will expect their bowling unit to regroup, and find a way to control CSK’s batting at Chepauk. Smarting from a narrow loss to Lucknow Super Giants at Eden Gardens, where their bowlers were taken to the task, the KKR bowlers will seek redemption in Chennai.

The visitors’ batting unit will look to the likes of Quinton de Kock, Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Andre Russell, and Rinku Singh to deliver the goods.

With both sides eyeing a must-needed victory, fans can expect a high-stakes battle to kickstart their weekend plans.

Squads

Kolkata Knight Riders: Quinton de Kock (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Manish Pandey, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Spencer Johnson, Varun Chakaravarthy, Anrich Nortje, Vaibhav Arora, Anukul Roy, Luvnith Sisodia, Moeen Ali, Rovman Powell, Mayank Markande, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Chetan Sakariya.

Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Matheesha Pathirana, Noor Ahmad, Ravichandran Ashwin, Devon Conway, Syed Khaleel Ahmed, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Vijay Shankar, Sam Curran, Shaik Rashid, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary, Deepak Hooda, Gurjanpreet Singh, Nathan Ellis, Jamie Overton, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishnan Ghosh, Shreyas Gopal, Vansh Bedi, Andre Siddarth.