Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is not having a great start in the ongoing IPL 2025. The situation has gotten thinner for them as their skipper, Ruturaj Gaikwad, ruled out from the rest of the tournament due to injury. MS Dhoni was again named CSK captain in place of Gaikwad. Now the question is, who can be the potential replacement for Ruturaj Gaikwad? Let's accumulate some of the probable options Super Kings can rely on. 

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Mayank Agarwal

Ruturaj, mainly a top-order batter, is known for creating a cool, composed innings and can play an anchor role. Mayank Agarwal is one of his kind. The experienced batter had participated from IPL 2011 to IPL 2024 season and remained unsold in this season. The right-handed batter had gotten some notable runs at the end of the previous first-class domestic season. He made 91 vs. Haryana.

Ayush Mhatre

A blooming prospectus of Indian cricket remains unsold in the IPL 2025 mega auction. It is heavily speculated that the 17-year-old cricketer can get a call from CSK management to replace injured Gaikwad. The young cricketer has the capability to play some handy innings if the team requires. His explosive batting style attracted many eyes during some domestic tournaments. Ayush Mhatre had a successful Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 season with a 65.43 average, 458 runs in only 7 matches, and a strike rate of 135.50. It is notable that Chennai Super Kings had called him for a mid-season trial. 

Dewald Brevis

The 5-time Indian Premier League champion side still has an empty slot for an overseas player. Dewald Brevis can be a legit option who can replace Rutu. The swashbuckling batter had shown some brilliant batting displays in CSA DIV-1 2025 and SA20 with batting averages of 66.33 and 48.50. So far in his last 17 innings, he has bagged five 50s and one ton. 

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) supporters were left perplexed when their star batsman and captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad, was spotted playing football even after being ruled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season owing to an elbow fracture. Gaikwad injured himself while playing against Rajasthan Royals on March 30, 2025, in Guwahati, leading CSK to officially announce that MS Dhoni would be the new captain for the rest of the tournament. The surprise image of Gaikwad kicking a football nonchalantly has raised questions regarding the extent of his injury and how long he will take to recover, with fans and pundits left in disagreement.

The altercation occurred during a light-hearted warm-up session at a stadium, where Gaikwad, clad in his CSK training kit, was spotted interacting with teammates on the pitch. Although he was careful with his right arm, the location of the reported injury, he displayed no signs of discomfort making use of his legs, which led to speculation regarding the actual severity of his condition. Gaikwad's elbow fracture, described as a hairline injury according to CSK's official communication, was already a major setback for the team, considering his good form this season, having scored two half-centuries in three games. The team management had decided to play it safe and focus on his long-term recovery rather than an early comeback.

Injured Ruturaj Gaikwad seen playing football!👀🤕

🎥:juylov_vlad/X pic.twitter.com/fQ5PwQRYTb

— CricketGully (@thecricketgully) April 10, 2025

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But Gaikwad's footballing activity has prompted some to question whether CSK may have exaggerated the effect of the injury, while others believe that an elbow problem would not necessarily limit lower-body movements. This has generated a buzz around his possible return, although no official word has confirmed any alteration in his status.

What Will This Mean for Gaikwad and CSK's Next Game? 

The event has also sparked discussions about the recovery of athletes in professional sports. Even though Gaikwad's conduct could indicate he has improved enough to compete, they will be without Gaikwad in their next match, on March 25 against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 11, 2025, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai starting at 7:30 PM local time. MS Dhoni will lead a team without Gaikwad, calling

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.

Irfan Pathan was clearly unhappy with the fielding in the IPL 2025 match between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Both teams dropped several easy catches, and Irfan didn’t happy back in pointing out the poor fielding effort.

The match took place in Mullanpur on Tuesday, April 8. After winning the toss, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer chose to bat first. Punjab made the most of the opportunity, putting up a big total of 219/6. Young opener Priyansh Arya stole the show with a brilliant century off just 39 balls. Shashank Singh remained unbeaten on 52, and Marco Jansen added a handy 34* to boost the total.

8 drop catches in the game today. Itne to legend league mein Nahi chorte bhai.

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) April 8, 2025

In reply, CSK fought hard but could only reach 201/5. Devon Conway was the top scorer with a steady 69 off 49 balls, but it wasn’t enough. After the match, CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad admitted that dropped catches have been hurting the team. “In the last few games, fielding has made the biggest difference. We’re dropping catches, and those same batters go on to add 15–30 more runs,” he said.

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He also felt the team bowled well and picked up wickets regularly but couldn’t stop Punjab’s momentum. “If we had saved 10–15 runs, it would’ve made a big difference. Batting-wise, we did well. Rachin and Conway played pace nicely, and we had a strong start. We were just two or three big shots away. Devon is more of a timer, and he looked good out there,” Gaikwad added. CSK will try to get back to winning ways when they take on Kolkata Knight Riders at home on Friday, April 11. Punjab Kings will next face Sunrisers Hyderabad in Uppal the following day.

The IPL match between Punjab Kings(PBKS) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Mullanpur was a run feast by the two teams. Opting out to bat first Punjab Kings started with a blinder, where young batsman Priyansh Aryan stormed the innings with a brilliant century scoring 103 runs on 42 balls, with the help of Shashank 52 runs on 32 balls and Jansen 34 runs on 19 balls, they scored 219 runs with the loss of 5 wickets. 
Chasing the target, CSK started well with Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra at the crease, providing a good start to the team. Though Rachin went early, Conway 69(42) carried away the innings. Though CSK tried to conquer the chase with the likes of Shivam Dube 42(27), Ms Dhoni 27(12) were short by 18 runs. Apart from match proceedings catch drops from both the teams became the highlight of the show. 

Read More: 'If You're Nervous, You’ll Drop a Catch' — Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad reacts after loss to Punjab Kings in match number 22 of IPL 2025
Irfan Pathan Makes A Huge Statment
 There have been many droppers in this IPL season and the highest was recorded in this match, where 8 catches were dropped by both teams. Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan highlighted the catch drops into his X (formerly known as Twitter) account. He started with an example of comparison to Legends League stating "8 drop catches in the game today. Itne to legend league mein nahi chorte bhai (we don't drop this many even in legends leagues)," Pathan wrote on X. 

8 drop catches in the game today. Itne to legend league mein Nahi chorte bhai.

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) April 8, 2025

These catch drops proved costly to both the teams, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) players dropped Priyansh two times, and Jansen and Shashank were too given a lifeline. Which boosted PBKS score to 219. Even though Punjab Kings (PBKS) players dropped many it didn't cost them much where CSK had to lose the match by an 18-run margin. CSK fielding in this tournament hasn't been that good, though possessiexpericed they are slipping away their chances. 

Ruturaj On Catching Mistakes
Even at the last match presentation, CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad highlighted the issue of drop catches which cost them few a maa matches, he goes on I think the last four games, the only point of difference (fielding being the difference). It has been critical. The catches we have been dropping, the same batsman is scoring 15, 20, 30 runs. 

We were getting wickets at regular intervals but they kept the momentum going. 10-15 runs lesser would have helped us. But it comes down to dropped catches. It was spot-on in the batting perspective. CSK this year's season is under a critical condition where a blunder of one department has cost them the entire match. It's high time for them to look into the departments that require the alterations if not, they will be out of the Playoffs soon. 

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK)  have lost their fourth consecutive match in a row when they faced the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in New PCA Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur. It's a tough season going out for Chennai where victory seems to be far away from them. They are even seen as the sloppy side, which persists in some errors in every match. They are failing in every department, though it may be seen with different views and perceptions, but the side is lacking definite energy. Though they have players like Dhoni, Jadeja, and Ashwin, they are at the bottom of the table. 

Even the match they played against Mumbai Indians (MI) was a tricky one, too, where Rachin Ravindra's knock saved CSK from humiliation, otherwise, they would have lost that match also. This season has hit the rock bottom of CSK, where the loss against PBKS has drifted them to the 9th position. Coming to the match, it was match 22 of IPL 2025, where PBKS were taking on CSK on their home ground. 

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PBKS won the toss and elected to bat first; from then on, it was all Punjab Kings. Priyansh Arya, who came as the opener, took centre stage. he thrashed every bowler of the Chennai Super Kings, whether a fast bowler or spinner; everyone was getting bashed. He scored a brilliant 39-ball century, equalling the tally with Travis Head, who also scored a 39-ball century against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Though the rest of the batsmen couldn't do much. 

They weren't up to much and made sure he carried the momentum forward, but after a certain time, he too was removed by Noor Ahmed, but the finishing duties were done by Shashank Singh who scored a well-made 52 runs. With that Punjab Kings scored 219 runs with the loss of 6 wickets. Chennai hadn't chased this huge, whatsoever; their highest chase was 211, which they chased against Lucknow Super Giants in 2022.

Poor Fielding Cost Us The Match: Ruturaj Gaikwad

When CSK got down to chase their players Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra laid down the good foundation for CSK with 61 run partnership, though Rachin departed Conway went on to make 69 runs in 49 balls, Then Dube contributed 42 runs in 29 balls and Dhoni to played a knock of 27 runs in 12 balls, but CSK were restricted to 201/5, where they lost by 18 runs.
During the post-match presentation, captain Ruturaj highlighted a few major points, mainly the poor fielding and drop catches, which added 20-25 runs to the score and hurt the team later. "I think the last four games, the only point of difference (fielding being the difference). It has been critical. The catches we have been dropping, the same batsman is scoring 15, 20, 30 runs". You have bad days in bowling and batting, we had a bad day in bowling and fielding too. 

MS Dhoni’s parents, Pan Singh Dhoni and Devaki Devi, made a rare appearance at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday during the CSK vs. DC IPL 2025 match. This was their first time watching a CSK game live at the venue since Dhoni joined the franchise in 2008. His wife, Sakshi, and daughter, Ziva, were also present, as they often are during home games.

There were rumors going around before the match that Dhoni could captain CSK, as there were doubts over regular skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad's fitness. Gaikwad had suffered an elbow blow in the last match against Rajasthan Royals. All such speculations were, however, laid to rest when Gaikwad emerged for the toss. "My elbow is fine, ready to go," Gaikwad assured.

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MS Dhoni retiring?

The presence of Dhoni’s entire family at the stadium sparked fresh rumors online about a possible retirement announcement. The 43-year-old’s future in the IPL has been a topic of debate, especially after he came in to bat at No. 9 in the recent game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, a move that didn’t sit well with many fans.

Speaking to doubts regarding Dhoni’s batting order and fitness, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming remarked that Dhoni plays a deliberate role. “It's a matter of time. MS gauges that. His knees aren't what they used to be. He can't bat at full intensity for 10 overs, or whatever, in a professional game. So he factors when he should come in based on the match,” Fleming said. “If the game is in a state of uncertainty, then he will come in to keep the game evolving earlier.”

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Though the internet is by storm with theories of retirement, Dhoni still continues to play a part behind the stumps. The remainder of IPL 2025 will have fans watching closely to see if the 2025 season is, indeed, the end of an era.

Super Kings or Super Struggles?

CSK is one of the most accomplished franchises in the IPL cricket history. However, many teams have risen up to the occasion to defeat them several times over the years. Let us analyze these teams and the way they have been able to trouble CSK.

The CSK Cauldron How Success Spreads Rumors and ResentmentsThe 20 wins of Mumbai Indians (MI) is the talk of partiality and the "Mumbai bias" in the IPL. Success brings envy and gossip about a level playing field and how they do it. Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Punjab Kings (PBKS), the two "almost-winners" of IPL, will also fight each other to see if they even get a chance to win games or suffer from a "choke issue". Do they have mental blocks? Are they strategically constrained? RCB and DC have winning streaks within non-winning gaps and moments of glory and we debate if they have the sustained potential to trouble CSK. 

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KKR's woes bring out cries of strategy and psychological block against the "Yellow Army". The newbies Gujarat Titans (GT) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are here to disrupt the status quo and ongoing discussions about the shift of power in the league. The very short lives of the erstwhile teams Deccan Chargers (DCH), Pune Warriors India (PWI), Kochi Tuskers Kerala (KTK) and the "what ifs" are a surround of nostalgia and imaginaries might-have-beens. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) along with the rest of the unsuccessful teams provokes thoughts about mismatch of strategies. But again, how does CSK win every year with different combinations. The "numbers" of these teams are not just numbers;

IPL Teams vs. Chennai Super Kings: Head-to-Head Statistics

A number of top-ranking cricketers scored some classical runs, setting the platform for some unforgettable moments in the high voltage of IPL clashes. Virat Kohli has made a league-best score of 1053 runs, whereas MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, and Faf du Plessis have also been pivotal to the success of both the teams. The battle of two superpowers is hosting lots of tense situations, with every match becoming the latest chapter of IPL history.

Virat Kohli-The Leading Run-Getter:

The iconic Virat Kohli had been the top run-scorer in CSK vs. RCB matches with 1053 runs to his name. The consistent century-maker and the aggressive batsman who has treated CSK bowlers as his nightmare all along. There is no doubt that Kohli's fantastic performances have been the reason for some amazing moments like centuries and fifties and also for his dominance.

Most runs in CSK vs RCB IPL matches

1053 - Virat Kohli
765 - MS Dhoni
616 - Suresh Raina
519 - Faf du Plessis#IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/kLXOzwi46l

— CRIC INSIGHTS (@Insights4Cric) March 28, 2025

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Other Batting Icons in the CSK-RCB Rivalry:

• MS Dhoni-With 765 runs, Dhoni has played some of the most memorable finishing knocks in this rivalry, guiding CSK to victory on multiple occasions.
• Suresh Raina-the iconic player from the Chennai Super Kings—has made 616 runs in this rivalry, demonstrating his aggressive approach and that he is a big-game player.
• Faf du Plessis,having played for both CSK and RCB, has registered 519 runs, showcasing his adaptability and consistency.
• AB de Villiers-The bold batting of AB de Villiers, undoubtedly, was giving RCB a lot of wins over CSK.
• Shane Watson represented both teams at different times, and he gave an unforgettable inning in the 2018 IPL final by scoring a century for CSK.
• Ruturaj Gaikwad-As a fast-rising star for CSK, Gaikwad made a huge impression in the previous seasons by playing a lot of classical shots in a very fluent manner.

With these batting giants shaping the CSK vs. RCB rivalry, fans eagerly anticipate more thrilling battles in future IPL seasons.

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Both teams are very competitive, which is why the IPL Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru match on March 28 in MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, is set to be a blast of an encounter. Here are three key players to watch a preview of this exciting clash.

1. Virat Kohli (RCB) 

Kohli’s batting brilliance remains a constant danger. he’s a batting threat spanning from middle to end overs. A showcased example of this masterclass was on the 22nd of March, against KKR, in which RCB opened IPL 2025 with him singlehandedly smashing 59 runs off 36 balls, with RCB beating KKR by 7 wickets, a harsh boasting blow to his pole strikers. His injury concerns him; he fried an easily inviting 174 runs, and attacking him is counterproductive. 

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2. Rachin Ravindra (CSK)

This dynamic all-rounder has emerged as a cornerstone for CSK with his aggressive batting and crafty spin. Ravindra has become a zippy performer for the CSK team. No big change from the last game after Ravindra had scored 65 runs off  45 balls and took 1/25, despite the 4-wicket win chasing MI’s 155/9 (CSK 158/6). His form is likely to give a tough time to RCB on a surface that suits spinners.

3. Ruturaj Gaikwad (CSK)

Gaikwad’s calm head as an elegant opener will be vital against RCB’s quick bowlers. In the match against MI, he scored 53 runs off 26 runs and had stabilized the innings but could not see them over the line. His clash with RCB bowlers such as Josh Hazlewood could determine how CSK fares. 

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Although RCB thugs lead the encounters 21-11 in 33 matches, his 27-run win in the last IPL 2024 meeting makes it interesting. With RCB thumping KKR and CSK nudging past MI, this match combines CSK’s Chepauk magic and RCB’s energy, which will be a thriller.