Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will compete in IPL 2025, starting their campaign against Mumbai Indians on March 23 at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium.

• Founded: 2008
• Home Ground: M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
•  Owner: India Cements (Chennai Super Kings Cricket Ltd.)
•  Captain (2025): Ruturaj Gaikwad
•  Most Iconic Captain: MS Dhoni (2008–2023)
•  Head Coach (2025): Stephen Fleming

Total titles won:

IPL SCHUDULE:

• 23rd March: vs MI in Chennai (Sunday, Match 3)
• 28th March: vs RCB in Chennai (Friday, Match 8)
• 30th March: vs RR in Guwahati (Sunday, Match 11)
• 5th April: vs DC in Chennai (Saturday, Match 17)
• 8th April: vs PBKS in Mullanpur (Tuesday, Match 22)
• 11th April: vs KKR in Chennai (Friday, Match 25)
• 14th April: vs LSG in Lucknow (Monday, Match 30)
• 20th April: vs MI in Mumbai (Sunday, Match 38)
• 25th April: vs SRH in Chennai (Friday, Match 43)
• 30th April: vs PBKS in Chennai (Wednesday, Match 49)
• 3rd May: vs RCB in Bengaluru (Saturday, Match 52)
• 7th May: vs KKR in Kolkata (Wednesday, Match 57)
• 12th May: vs RR in Chennai (Monday, Match 63)
• 18th May: vs GT in Ahmedabad (Sunday, Match 69)

CSK SCHEDULE IN IPL 2025: 🏆 pic.twitter.com/b6VjKjm0v2

— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) February 16, 2025

ALSO READ:IPL 2025 full schedule date time venues and complete details

Full squad:

Excited Fan Runs Onto the Field to Meet Ruturaj Gaikwad During Maharashtra vs Baroda Ranji Trophy 2024-25 Match

The Ranji Trophy games this year were incredibly going on because a portion of the best players in India were playing in these games. The fans liked it very much. But not everything was amazing. A boy ran right onto the field when Maharashtra was playing against Baroda on January 25, That happened in Nasik. Boy really wanted to see the great batter, Ruturaj Gaikwad, from Maharashtra. It stopped the game for a little while, making everyone look at the fan chasing the player. This wasn't the only problem. Earlier that same day, the same type of situation happened in Mumbai.

At that BKC Ground, a different fan quietly went in to get close to Rohit Sharma. It somewhat scared people because it made them worry if the players were safe. Having really great players in the Ranji Trophy means more people come to watch, and that's positive, but sometimes not-so-positive things happen. It makes us need very good security so the players are comfortable and the games happen easily.

ALSO READ: Best Performers and Match-Winners Featured in ICC Women’s T20I Team of the Year 2024

Ruturaj Gaikwad and a fan during the Ranji Trophy match 😄🔥 pic.twitter.com/rxiwmwarif

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 25, 2025

In the spot where the single fan entered, in Nasik, the individuals or people in charge said they would make sure it's safer next time. They told us they'd make sure no one else could run in like that again. Children really look up to the best individuals, and they want to say how good they are, but they should not break the rules.

They should cheer for their favourites, yes, but by no means in a manner that causes trouble. Fan items such as autographs are incredibly fun, but doing foolish actions is barely ever written about because it almost never happens. People really enjoy watching First-class cricket games, and because of that, Security wants to make sure everyone is safe, like the players and the fans who watch. They're going to be careful to keep things fun but also make sure no one gets hurt.

Ruturaj has lifted himself with a bang after a certain failure. Past few months its been hard for Maharashtra opener, neglected from Indian team for Bgt, neglected from ongoing England series and from Champions Trophy too. Still Ruturaj is maintaining his good form in domestic seasons. Sometimes we have too feel for him despite scoring tons of runs in domestic and other leagues still been side-lined from Indian team completely. 

 Read More : https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/khaleel-ahmad-fifer-stops-the-karun-nair-show-on-their-ongoing-ranji-match/

A Fantastic Half Century

At initial stage of the match Ruturaj had the really tuff time where he was dismissed in 10 runs of 23 balls. Maharashtra innings started to collapse over there but they evidently managed to put a decent score. After a failure talks started against him and doubting his place in the team.

 During the beginning of the second innings Ruturaj looked determined and was looking into his natural touch. He took on the responsibility of rebuilding and ensuring that Maharashtra didn’t lose the momentum. His knock was built around solid technique and an understanding of how to handle both pace and spin. Throughout the innings, Gaikwad displayed a calm character and steadily builded his innings.

A Long Way For Ruturaj

Ruturaj didn’t made a single mistake in that innings. He played some aggressive shots as he didn’t wanted himself to be in a shell. His knock included several boundaries that not only entertained the crowd but also took the game away from the bowlers. The most impressive aspect of Gaikwad’s innings was his shot selection despite losing early wickets he kept on going.

Read More : https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/rocky-flintoff-makes-history-as-the-youngest-player-to-score-a-maiden-century-for-england-lions/

 He scored a well set half century and carry forwarded his momentum. Unfortunately he got got out on 89 runs playing just 83 balls. His innings had the valued aggression which could be seen the number of bowls he faced. This particular match he had a decent outing but not satisfied as he is known for, As Ipl is nearing this innings would be a booster for him to perform in his upcoming ventures. Though he might me betrayed but he has sticked with his consistency. Ruturaj will be aiming for a good Ranji season for now later he would be focusing for the main picture IPL 2025.

Ruturaj Gaikwad has been left out of India's 15-man T20I squad for the upcoming series against England. The opener, who has a fantastic record in the few opportunities he's had, isn't even on the sidelines right now but rather as far away from the action as possible. Gaikwad is one such batter who has earned fame after relentless hard work in a platform like IPL.

This led him being the right successor of MS Dhoni by being the captain of the five-time champions, Chennai Super Kings. It's not just this forthcoming bilateral series; he has been excluded in many crucial International matches. That said, here we look at the probable reasons behind the talk of the matter that perplexed many fans. 

1. Intense race for the coveted top-order batting spots

There is no question that Ruturaj Gaikwad is a superb player, but he is now competing with more than five other players for the opening berth, which Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson currently hold. The latter two don't play T20Is often since the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) prefers Test cricket to the shorter format. Hence, they've been rested from T20Is to manage their workloads. The names Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma, and Sanju Samson make it highly competitive for the Maharashtrian batter, as each has a unique skill set that will aid the squad significantly.

Another significant factor is his potential and natural game. One can argue that Gaikwad is the most skilled striker among those named, especially considering that it's the shortest game format. He looks more like an anchor than an aggressor. All of the others can start smashing right away, something Gaikwad has yet to do, where he takes his time to get to his swashbuckling form. Even age is also a consideration, as Sanju Samson is the only one older than him. All the others are younger, and selectors may choose them over him. Ultimately, it's all about the proper set of permutations and combinations made in the think tank of the Indian Cricket team's selection process.

See Also: BCCI Considers Performance-Linked Pay for Players After Australia Series Setback

2. Probable selection bias and internal politics

Stirring up controversies and debates, particularly amongst Indian cricket fanatics, is not a relatively new thing. Ever since the sport's evolution, a particular sect of spectators has become more inclined and invested in the goof-ups and stories than the usual game itself. With several incidents prominently and vividly remembered by many, Ruturaj Gaikwad's long-run exclusion from the international team acts as an addition to the list of such a story. Though his gameplay doesn't match the fast-paced T20I format, leading him to be ignored for the forthcoming bilateral series against England, Gaikwad has encountered such moments for quite a long time.

Be it from not getting selected for the forgettable and recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy or even the home bilateralT20I series against Bangladesh, his name not being present on the 15-man Squad for International games has got everyone perplexed. Many speculate that it's due to internal board politics, with head coach Gautam Gambhir having a bias on player selection towards his former franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders, over his arch-rival team, Chennai Super Kings, where Gaikwad comes from. And it's just one of them; other reasons come from where he had a rift with the former T20I captain, Rohit Sharma, which led him to get ignored for a long period. In the end, these speculated theories keep on coming and going. Unless and until any of these have a concrete backing, that is when the eyes would be facing them. 

No matter what the reasons are, as mentioned above, it is no surprise that Ruturaj Gaikwad has been phenomenal with the bat through his recent performances. With his noteworthy mentions coming from the IPL, Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy, Gaikwad has got all the boxes ticked to get a callback to don the Indian jersey.

Though some of the aspects do have their own viability and sense, it's all about time that will tell the competent batter's future in the International circuit. Also, the whole Indian cricket fandom would suffice with the things that are beneficial for the team and its prospects, with Ruturaj Gaikwad being one of the probable central pillars towards their path, as many yearn for him not to be another missed out competent opportunity. 

As always, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have a unique approach for the Indian Premier League auction. The IPL Mega Auction ahead of the 2025 season was no exception for them. CSK is a team that understands what it wants and has won five championships convincingly.

Following a disappointing IPL 2024 season, CSK will look to rebound and display their capabilities with their gathered roster. Before the auction, CSK retained five players: MS Dhoni, Shivam Dube, Rituraj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, and Matheesha Pathirana. CSK has a rich roster of trustworthy domestic and overseas players. That said, here is a list of the two strengths and a weakness of the 2025 Chennai Super Kings side. 

Chennai Super Kings 2025 IPL Squad: Ravindra Jadeja, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Matheesha Pathirana, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni, Noor Ahmad, R Ashwin, Devon Conway, Khaleel Ahmed, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Anshul Kamboj, Sam Curran, Gurjapneet Singh, Nathan Ellis, Deepak Hooda, Jamie Overton, Vijay Shankar, Vansh Bedi, Shreyas Gopal, C Andre Siddarth, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Shaik Rasheed, Mukesh Choudhary, Kamlesh Nagarkoti.

2 Strengths:

Perfect Spinners for Chepauk Conditions

CSK boasts one of the best spin units. With the Chennai pitch predicted to help spinmeisters, CSK will field three spinners and strangle the opposition batters. All three spinners differ from one another, which adds variation. Ravichandran Ashwin, who last played for CSK in 2015, returns to the team after stints with Punjab, Delhi, and Rajasthan.

Ravindra Jadeja has been a consistent performer for CSK as an efficient bowler. Finally, former Gujarat Titans spinner Noor Ahmad was purchased for a whopping INR 10 crores. The emerging Afghan spin has 137 T20 scalps averaging at 23.08. So CSK will rely on 12 excellent overs of spin in Chennai to challenge visiting teams on slow tracks.

Emerging and underdog batting lineup

The five-time IPL winners' batting assault is another significant advantage that the Men in Yellow will be eager to utilise to the utmost. Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad are a reliable starting pair, with Rachin Ravindra serving as Conway's backup, and their recent play has been impressive. However, considering CSK's reliance on Indian pacers, Rachin Ravindra, a spin allrounder, might step in at number three.

This means Rahul Tripathi will play fourth, with Shivam Dube at fifth. The top four or five are CSK's best and will be relied on heavily. Dube, in particular, has a role to play and is well-known for his tremendous and swashbuckling hits. And, of course, not to forget our vintage and massy mid-order batting display by Thala, a.k.a, MS Dhoni.

1 Weakness:

Lack of reliable and backup allrounder, hindering the mid and lower-order

CSK stunned everyone when signing Vijay Shankar and Deepak Hooda. Despite their expertise, they never seemed to hit the ground running in the IPL. Deepak Hooda and Vijay Shankar can be regarded as CSK's mediocre buy. Overall, both allrounders are solid but not exceptional, but only time will tell if they will unleash their finest performance.

As a result, their lower-order batting lacks quality and experience. It is a paper-thin batting. If Dhoni has fitness difficulties, CSK would struggle in the finishing area. This would compel them to play Overton or Curran, making Rachin Ravindra make his way out of the Playing XI arsenal.

Srikkanth Calls Shubman Gill Overrated

On his YouTube channel, Kris Srikkanth, a major name from India's 1986 World Cup win and famous for not holding back, got very upset with Shubman Gill. Mr. Srikkanth was basically saying, I have been telling people Shubman Gill is overrated for years but it's clear nobody cared. The man is significantly overrated.

Srikkanth questioned Gill's repeated inclusion in the playing XI and pointed out the lack of opportunities for other players like Suryakumar Yadav. Addressing the Ajit Agarkar led selection committee, he remarked, "When Gill is being given so many chances, one might wonder if someone like Suryakumar Yadav could have also been given a longer run in Tests."

Srikkanth mentioned that Suryakumar has the skills and technique, even though he didn't begin well in tests. But, he also said that the selectors and management see him mainly as a white-ball player, so they should look for new talent now.

ALSO READ: Yashasvi Jaiswal Considered as First Choice Opener for England Series

In addition to Suryakumar, Srikkanth recommended two other Indian batters for selection in the Test team. "Ruturaj Gaikwad, for instance, has been performing exceptionally well in first-class cricket, but he's been overlooked. Meanwhile, Sai Sudharsan has been impressing in 'A' tours. It's important to promote such emerging talents, but instead, they keep picking Gill, running in circles," he added.

Rohit Sharma, the Captain, wasn't there for the Perth match, and Gill also missed the first Test because he was hurt--but India still won it. Gill wasn't part of the fourth Test because he wasn't doing a good job--but he did come back for the last trade. After coming back, India started to have a tougher time. Then everything became very exciting when Ravichandran Ashwin decided to retire right after the third Test, and everyone was discussing it.Despite coming back, Rohit decided to skip the fifth Test.

Cheeka talking about Shubman Gill.

- He is playing very poorly
- no one is talking about Gill, people talking about KL Rahul and virat form why not Gill
- If Gill plays in England 1 or 2 balls or 1 over He will get out pic.twitter.com/7kvj0J9OP0

— Prakash (@definitelynot05) January 4, 2025

Shubman Gill, who had been part of the Indian squad for the early matches, was sidelined for the first Test of the series due to an injury, which India won. At the same time, Rohit Sharma missed the Perth fixture, leaving avoid in the leadership and batting lineup. The team's fortunes took a downturn in the subsequent matches, with their performance faltering despite high expectations.

Ravichandran Ashwin, a key figure in India's bowling attack, announced his immediate retirement after the third Test under controversial circumstances, sparking debate within the cricket community. His exit added to the already tense atmosphere surrounding the team.

Gill, struggling with form throughout the series, was dropped for the fourth Test. He was given another opportunity to prove himself in the final Test, making his return to the playing XI. However, Rohit Sharma decided to sit out the fifth Test, raising questions about his fitness and readiness. His absence in the final match further complicated India's efforts to secure a victory in the series. Despite returning, Gill's performance remained under scrutiny, adding to the ongoing discussions about his place in the team.

Shubman Gill Career Stats Batting & Fielding

In a recent event, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was in an awkward moment where he hilariously dragged Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

Recently, Ruturaj Gaikwad was present at the INFYusion event hosted by Infosys in Bengaluru, where his mic was suddenly turned off. When the presenter was querying about the incident, the CSK skipper hilariously said that it might be done by an RCB fan.

Here are the scenarios of that event

Presenter: What's happening here? Who turned off Ruturaj Gaikwad's mic?

Ruturaj: Maybe an RCB fan.

Presenter: What's your favorite IPL moment?

Ruturaj: My first match as captain, and we won that match against RCB.

He has taken these RCB related incidents personally which has happened after 18th May🥶🥶..
He's gonna cook this IPL..
Mark my words 💥💥 pic.twitter.com/3ZZDls3oeE

— Mahi Way (@NamahShivaay108) December 19, 2024

See Also: Virat Kohli's childhood coach drops a bombshell

RCB vs CSK battle in the IPL 2024

Just before the beginning of the IPL 2024, Ruturaj Gaikwad was chosen as the new captain of Chennai Super Kings, one of the most successful IPL teams. The Indian cricketer started his IPL captaincy journey with the match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Chennai, where CSK won by six wickets. It was the first game of the IPL 2024, and the defending champions confidently started the tournament under new leadership.

Defending champions CSK were in a do-or-die situation in the last league stage game of the IPL 2024 against RCB at Bengaluru. It was a tight contest between RCB and CSK, where RCB scored 218/5, but they needed to stop CSK at less than 200 runs to qualify for the playoffs; CSK would qualify for the playoffs by scoring 200 or more runs. The match went to the last over, where CSK scored 191/7 and RCB booked their spot for the playoffs.

IPL 2024 most runs also experienced RCB vs CSK battle

In the IPL 2024, while the former RCB captain Virat Kohli finished as the leading run-scorer with 741 runs, CSK skipper Gaikwad scored 583 runs and finished as the second-most run-scorer in the tournament. 

The men’s selection committee has selected a 15-member India A squad for the upcoming Australia tour. In this tour, India A will play two first-class matches along with one special game. 

The upcoming India A tour of Australia is very important for Indian cricket, as the Indian national cricket team will tour Australia in the second half of November to play the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. It will be a five-match Test series, which will be a part of the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship. 

India A will play two first-class matches

India A is set to travel to Australia. In this upcoming tour, India A will play two first-class matches against Australia A. McKay will host the first-class match from October 31 and Melbourne Cricket Ground will host the second first-class match from November 7. Both the matches will be four-day challenges. 

Also one intra-squad game

Later, India A will play a three-day intra-squad game against the Indian national cricket team at WACA, Perth. It will be an important practice match for the Indian national cricket team before the beginning of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy that will begin on November 22.  

India A leaders and wicketkeepers

Ruturaj Gaikwad will lead India A squad in the upcoming Australia tour, while the in-form domestic cricket opener Abhimanyu Easwaran will play the vice-captain role. Ishan Kishan and Abishek Porel have been selected as the wicketkeepers. 

Other India A members

Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Yash Dayal, and Navdeep Saini have been selected as the pacers in the India A squad. Talking about the spinners, the selectors have selected the left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Manav Suthar and the off-spin bowling all-rounder Tanush Kotian. 

Nitish Kumar Reddy, who recently made his T20I debut during the home series against Bangladesh and won the Player of the Match award in the Delhi T20I for his all-round performances (74 off 34 balls and 4-0-23-2), has been selected in the India A squad. 

Talking about batting, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Ricky Bhui, and Baba Indrajith are the other key names apart from the leaders and wicketkeepers. 

India A squad for Australia tour

Ruturaj Gaikwad (Captain), Abhimanyu Easwaran (vice-captain), Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Devdutt Padikkal, Ricky Bhui, Baba Indrajith, Ishan Kishan (wk), Abishek Porel (wk), Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Yash Dayal, Navdeep Saini, Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian

Mumbai and Maharashtra are currently playing in the Ranji Trophy match where both the Indian batters Shreyas Iyer and Ruturaj Gaikwad made headlines with their respective centuries. While Iyer scored one yesterday (142 off 190), Gaikwad smashed a hundred on Sunday, giving a strong message to the selectors for his selection in the Test squad as well.

However, with this, he has smashed his seventh century in First-Class cricket. Gaikwad reached the three-figure mark on Day 3 of the match at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy BKC, Mumbai. The Maharashtra captain helped his side to steady in the middle after they lost Siddhesh Veer early in the game. Notably, Mumbai were bowled out for 441 in the first innings as well.

Ruturaj Gaikwad shines with the bat

Notably, Gaikwad has 14 half-centuries to his name so far. In 35 matches, the veteran Maharashtra batter has scored past 2,400 runs in red-ball cricket as well. He scored at an average of over 43. Gaikwad, who has represented India in six ODIs and 23 T20Is, is yet to feature in the longer format as well.

Moreover, Gaikwad has been in good form recently. He led the Rest of India in the Irani Cup against Mumbai and also started off the Ranji Trophy with 86 against Jammu & Kashmir before being dismissed for a duck in the next match against Mumbai as well. 

R D Gaikwad 101 runs in 87 balls (14x4, 2x6) Maharashtra 176/1 #MUMvMAH #RanjiTrophy #Elite Scorecard:https://t.co/l7QWZwMQUU

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) October 20, 2024

SEE ALSO: Watch: Rohit Sharma's Playful 'Rohit Bhai RCB Me Aa Jao Yaar' Query Goes Viral

Ruturaj Gaikwad is likely to lead the India A team

Meanwhile, Ruturaj Gaikwad is likely to lead the India A team on the tour of Australia later this month as well. Apart from Gaikwad, the 15-man squad includes other batters like Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sai Sudharsan. Moreover, India will likely need to name a reserve Test opener for the Australia series, considering Rohit Sharma set to miss one of the first two matches of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for personal reasons as well.

The matches against Australia A could give match practice, or act as an audition, for a few of the backup players likely to be added to the Test squad and it could be helpful for Gaikwad as well. 

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has once again been overlooked by the Indian selectors, despite not doing anything wrong. He wasn’t picked for the Indian cricket team’s ongoing tour of Sri Lanka, and has been dropped from the team for the upcoming limited overs series in Sri Lanka.

However, Gaikwad has bounced back by returning as the captain of his state team, following this latest setback. The Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) has announced their probable squad for the upcoming Ranji Trophy season 2024-25, with Gaikwad as the new captain.

Gaikwad named Maharashtra Ranji Trophy captain

Sulakshan Kulkarni, a former Mumbai wicketkeeper batter, has been appointed as the new head coach of the Maharashtra Cricket Team for the upcoming Ranji Trophy season. Gaikwad, who previously led Maharashtra’s List-A and T20 teams, is now the captain for the prestigious first-class tournament.

Gaikwad has replaced Kedar Jadhav as Maharashtra’s captain for the Ranji Trophy after Jadhav retired from all forms of the game last month. Sulakshan Kulkarni has also replaced Santosh Jedhe as the head coach of the Maharashtra cricket team.

MCA announces 28-member probable squad

On July 25, the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) took to social media to announce the 28-member probable squad for the upcoming Ranji Trophy 2024-25. With Kulkarni’s guidance and Gaikwad’s fresh red-ball captaincy, the team will have a fresh start as many senior players have retired.

Notably, Gaikwad was a strong candidate for India’s T20I captaincy but was overlooked for the role. Instead, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal were chosen for the T20I team, with the Gujarat Titans skipper named vice-captain.

BCCI’s plans for the 2024-25 domestic season

The 2024-25 domestic cricket season will feature longer breaks between matches to give players more recovery time and ensure top performance throughout the season. The Ranji Trophy 2024-25 will be conducted in two phases.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah had said in a statement: “The season will kick off with the Duleep Trophy tournament, featuring four teams selected by national selectors. Following this, the Irani Cup tournament will take place. After these, two tournaments will be held: the first five league games (per team) of the Ranji Trophy, followed by the T20 competition, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and the 50-over tournament, the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The season will conclude with the remaining two league games of the Ranji trophy and knockout stages.”