The opener went on to play a 44-ball 63.
During Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) last fixture against Rajasthan Royals (RR), skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was hit on the elbow by bowler Tushar Deshpande. Due to his availability in doubt for their upcoming clash against Delhi Capitals on April 5, MS Dhoni is likely to lead the Super Kings for the first time after lifting the trophy in the IPL 2023 Final.
The incident happened in the second over of the chase. Gaikwad looked to play a pull shot as Deshpande bowled a short delivery. But the ball came slower than expected and hit the skipper’s elbow. Gaikwad was seen grimacing in pain as the team physios rushed to see him.
The opener went on to play a 44-ball 63, albeit CSK ended on the losing side. Gaikwad’s solid knock included seven boundaries and a six.
During the pre-match eve, Mike Hussey spoke about Dhoni without directly mentioning his name.
“I’m not sure, actually [who will lead CSK if Ruturaj is injured]. I don’t think we’ve actually thought about that [captaincy] too much. Well, I haven’t thought about it too much. I’m sure [Stephen] Fleming and Rutu [Ruturaj] have thought about that. But we’ve got some young guy coming through. He’s behind the stumps. Maybe he can do a good job. I’m not sure. He’s got a bit of experience in the role, so maybe he could do it. But I’m not exactly sure, to be honest.”
ALSO READ:
Chennai Super Kings have had a forgettable campaign so far with just one win over Mumbai Indians (MI). They lost a big game at home against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). They were on the brink of victory against RR. They’d look to move up the points table from their current eighth spot.
Despite the team’s terrible form, the skipper looks in good touch with the bat. In the first game against MI, Gaikwad scored 53 runs at a strike rate of over 200. He slammed six boundaries and three sixes. However, he couldn’t replicate his show against RCB as he was dismissed for a duck off Josh Hazlewood’s ball.
Gaikwad’s tally adds up to 116 runs in three games with two half-centuries so far. He has maintained an average of 38.66 alongside a strike rate of 156.75.
After CSK hosts DC tomorrow, they will fly to Mullanpur to face Punjab Kings on April 8.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram, and YouTube.
![[WATCH] MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja Combine To Complete Spectacular Runout of Ashutosh Sharma vs Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025](https://cricxtasy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/jani3-600x338.png)
