Ruturaj Gaikwad, the captain of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), may not be able to play in their match against Delhi Capitals (DC) at Chepauk on Saturday. In case of his absence, it is expected that MS Dhoni will step in as captain.
During last Sunday’s match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Guwahati, Gaikwad was struck on his unguarded elbow by Tushar Deshpande’s delivery during the second over. Unfortunately, this occurred during CSK’s failed attempt to chase down 183 runs.
Following his injury on the forearm during the previous weekend, Gaikwad received on-field treatment and bravely continued to bat, achieving his second half-century in three games this season. However, for Friday’s practice session, he only engaged in a brief ten-minute workout of throwdowns outside the nets. If he is unable to play, CSK will need to find a replacement for their top-order batting position as well.
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Devon Conway, one of the initial batters to bat in the nets on Friday, could potentially replace Gaikwad as an opener alongside Rahul Tripathi. This could result in Rachin Ravindra moving down to the No. 3 spot, and in turn, CSK may consider bringing in Anshul Kamboj, an Indian fast bowler, and leaving out Jamie Overton.
At 43 years old, Dhoni is operating at a reduced capacity due to his knee condition, according to Fleming. He has been the captain of CSK since their establishment in 2008, except for the two suspended years and a few matches in 2022 where Ravindra Jadeja was given the responsibility but it did not pan out. In 2023, Dhoni led CSK in the IPL final which they won, earning them their fifth title. However, when the new season began, Gaikwad was appointed as captain. Despite this change in leadership, CSK finished fifth in 2024 and missed out on the playoffs based on net run rate.
Shaik Rasheed from Andhra, C Andre Siddarth from Tamil Nadu, and Vansh Bedi from Delhi are the reserve Indian batters for CSK. However, none of them have played in the IPL.
Ayush Mhatre, the Mumbai teenager who made headlines for surpassing Yashasvi Jaiswal as the youngest batter to achieve a 150-plus score in List A cricket, has now joined CSK’s camp as a support player. It should be noted that Mhatre’s participation in the camp is not linked to Gaikwad’s injury or any other potential injuries on the team.
