Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the remainder of the Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025) after suffering a hairline fracture in his elbow. In his absence, MS Dhoni will take over the captaincy duties for the rest of the season, as confirmed by head coach Stephen Fleming ahead of their upcoming clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday, April 11.

Prior to CSK’s recent match against Punjab Kings, speculation was rife about captain Ruturaj Gaikwad sustaining an injury. Despite the concerns, he featured in the game, which CSK ultimately lost by 18 runs. Following the match, the franchise confirmed the leadership change via a post on their official X account, extending wishes for Gaikwad’s swift recovery. The injury reportedly occurred when Gaikwad was struck on his right forearm during CSK’s earlier defeat to the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Guwahati.

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"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.

🚨 OFFICIAL STATEMENT 🚨

Ruturaj Gaikwad ruled out of the season due to a hairline fracture of the elbow.

MS DHONI TO LEAD. 🦁

GET WELL SOON, RUTU ! ✨ 💛#WhistlePodu #Yellove🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/U0NsVhKlny

— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 10, 2025

He got hit in Guwahati: Stephen Fleming

During the pre-match press conference ahead of Chennai Super Kings' upcoming game against Kolkata Knight Riders, head coach Stephen Fleming confirmed that an MRI scan had revealed the full extent of Ruturaj Gaikwad's injury. The CSK skipper sustained a hairline fracture on his right forearm, ruling him out for the rest of the IPL 2025 season. Fleming also officially announced that former captain MS Dhoni would lead the side for the remaining matches. The decision marks Dhoni’s return to leadership duties, bringing a wave of anticipation and excitement among CSK fans as the team navigates through the rest of the tournament.

"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. 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'll 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," Fleming said at the pre-match conference.