Chennai Super Kings have suffered a major blow as their regular captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad, has been ruled out of the ongoing IPL season due to an elbow injury.
The team has been struggling with their on-field performance, and this setback has made matters worse. Ruturaj sustained the injury while batting against Rajasthan Royals on May 30. Initially, there were concerns about his availability for the next match, but he continued to lead the team for the following two games. However, since the elbow pain didn’t subside, an MRI was conducted, and it was confirmed that he had a fracture, as confirmed by Chennai’s coach, Stephen Fleming.
Under Ruturaj’s captaincy, Chennai started the IPL by defeating Mumbai Indians, but they couldn’t build on that momentum, losing all four of their subsequent matches. Now, with Dhoni back at the helm, the team hopes to get back on track.
Dhoni has been Chennai’s captain since the IPL’s inception in 2008, leading them to five titles. In 2022, he stepped down from the captaincy, handing the reins to Ravindra Jadeja. However, when the team struggled, Jadeja relinquished the role mid-season, and Dhoni was reappointed, leading them to their fifth title the following year.
Just one day before the 2024 IPL season’s first match, Chennai announced Ruturaj would be captain in Dhoni’s place. Over the course of 235 matches, Dhoni has captained Chennai in both the IPL and the Champions League T20, securing 142 wins.
