MS Dhoni is back as the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain, and the legendary wicketkeeper has more than one problem to solve. The 43-year-old takes over the reins after captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of IPL 2025 with a hairline fracture. While Dhoni can certainly fill the leadership void, the CSK captain will have to replace Gaikwad’s runs at the top as the five-time champions look to bounce back after a run of defeats.
Why was Gaikwad crucial to CSK?
Ruturaj Gaikwad is CSK’s highest run-getter since making his debut for the franchise in 2020. He won the Orange Cap in CSK’s victorious 2021 season. Barring IPL 2022, the Maharashtra superstar has more than 550 runs in three seasons, forming a crucial cog in CSK’s machinery. Gaikwad’s tally of 2380 runs is the fifth most for any player since 2020.
Despite batting at the top of the order for most of his career, Gaikwad dropped down to No.3 this season in a change of approach. It didn’t change his run-scoring, with the CSK stalwart hitting two half-centuries at a strike-rate of 150.61. With the 28-year-old now ruled out, MS Dhoni will have a huge task to fill his shoes.
Rachin, Tripathi, Hooda – Who replaces Gaikwad?
MS Dhoni’s blueprint at CSK has been “trust experience and let them play their roles to perfection”. The five-time champions have, in recent years, revived many careers, including those of Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Ajinkya Rahane and Shivam Dube. Rahane’s success is what CSK tried to replicate with Gaikwad, but now an injury has derailed those plans.
Among the immediate replacement options, CSK do have Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda and Vijay Shankar. Tripathi has batted at No.3 for most of his career, smashing 1245 runs at a strike rate of 143.76. However, the former SRH star has struggled in the 3 games he’s played this season, scoring just 30 runs. He, however, opened in those games but could now drop down to 3 following Gaikwad’s injury.
Deepak Hooda and Vijay Shankar have both batted at No.3 in the IPL but have an underwhelming record at that position. However, given CSK’s lack of options, Dhoni could trust one of the duo to take that spot. Shankar has a fifty in IPL 2025, though batting at a different number.
CSK could think of playing Rachin Ravindra at No.3, with Tripathi opening the batting. The Kiwi all-rounder has never played No.3 for CSK, but like Gaikwad, he could make that transition. Rachin has batted at No.3 and No.4 for NZ in ODIs, scoring hundreds at a strike rate of 106. Sam Curran, is another option, with the left-hander being often used as a floater in his previous stint at CSK.
| Player | Inns | Runs | Avg | S/R | 50s | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deepak Hooda | 15 | 273 | 18.2 | 122.97 | 1 | 21 | 9 |
| Vijay Shankar | 10 | 168 | 18.67 | 108.39 | 1 | 14 | 5 |
| Rahul Tripathi | 46 | 1245 | 30.37 | 143.76 | 7 | 127 | 48 |
Time for Andre Siddarth or Shaik Rasheed?
CSK could turn to their uncapped stars to fill the void Gaikwad has left. Andre Siddarth has made a name for himself in Tamil Nadu, averaging 68 in the recent Ranji Trophy season. The 18-year-old has little experience playing the T20 format but is known to be a clean striker of the ball. CSK star Ravichandran Ashwin has spoken highly of him in the past, and his 6 50+ scores in 12 innings in Ranji Trophy highlight maturity beyond his age.
Shaik Rasheed is another option, with a few domestic seasons under his belt. The 20-year-old has a strike rate of 127.07 in T20s, with a century while playing for Andhra in domestic cricket. Part of CSK set up for a couple of years, this could well be his opportunity to step up to the senior XI.
Editor's Pick
Cricket
Will Gambhir try Rishabh Pant or Nitish Reddy in IND vs SA 3rd ODI with series on the line?
Top Stories
