Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the ongoing 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League on Thursday (April 10). According to CSK head coach Stephen Fleming, the 28-year-old right-handed batter from Maharashtra, who succeeded MS Dhoni as CSK captain ahead of the start of IPL 2024, will miss the remaining matches due to an elbow fracture. In his absence, Dhoni will return as CSK captain and take charge of the Chennai-based franchise.
“We have an uncapped player, MS Dhoni, who will take over as captain for the remainder of the IPL,” Fleming told media mediapersons in Chennai on Thursday.
Fleming revealed that Gaikwad sustained the blow when he was hit by a short ball from England fast bowler Jofra Archer on March 30 during the IPL 2025 match between CSK and Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati.
“He got hit in Guwahati (vs RR). 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,” Fleming said.
While Gaikwad played through pain against Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings, the CSK medical team could only get his MRI done after the swelling subsided.
“So we’re disappointed and feel for him. We appreciate the efforts that he’s gone to in terms of trying to play, but he will be out of the tournament.”
The head coach also said that Gaikwad wanted to “continue”, but the call to replace him had to be made.
The Chennai team is entitled to a substitute player in the absence of Gaikwad, and according to a report in news agency PTI, it could be Mumbai teenager Ayush Mhatre.
The 17-year-old right-handed batter joined CSK’s camp as a support player last week and is expected to be announced as a replacement in the coming days.
Mhatre has played nine first-class and seven List A matches for Mumbai so far and has impressed with his batting performances. Like Gaikwad, Mhatre bats in the top order and has already made headlines for being the youngest batter to hit a 150-plus score in List A cricket.