Ruturaj Gaikwad's Team India entry demanded from BCCI

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the remainder of the IPL 2025 season due to an elbow injury. Former CSK opener and current batting coach Mike Hussey called Ruturaj one of India’s best players, adding that his absence in the T20 tournament is a massive loss for the franchise.

Ruturaj Gaikwad sustained an elbow injury during a match against the Rajasthan Royals (RR), where he scored 63 runs off 44 deliveries. Despite the injury, he played in the next two matches but managed only scores of 5 and 1. Dhoni had handed over the captaincy to Gaikwad ahead of the IPL 2024 edition.

He’s One of India’s Best Players - Mike Hussey

During the press conference, Mike Hussey praised Ruturaj Gaikwad for his cricketing skills and his ability to read situations. He mentioned that Gaikwad knows when to attack and when to defend, which has been a hallmark of CSK for years.

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“In my view, he’s (Ruturaj Gaikwad) one of India’s best players. He’s such a classy player. He’s got all the skills, all the shots, but also a great cricket brain. He understands when to attack, when to maybe defend, and how to manipulate the field,” the former CSK opener said.

“Those cricket smarts that have been synonymous with CSK over many years, Ruturaj certainly embodies a lot of those qualities. It’s a massive loss for us, no question about that,” he added.

Also Read: Ruturaj Gaikwad Replacement: Stephen Fleming confirms CSK future

Ruturaj Gaikwad Has Been Consistent Performer for Chennai Super Kings

Ruturaj Gaikwad has been a consistent batter for Chennai Super Kings since his IPL debut in 2020. He has scored 2,502 runs in 70 innings at an average of 40.35, including 20 half-centuries and two centuries. Gaikwad won the Orange Cap in the 2021 season with 635 runs, helping CSK secure their fourth IPL title.

The right-handed batter has scored 122 runs in five matches, including two half-centuries. He had a couple of low scores in his last two outings, but fans expected him to return to form. Many anticipated him to open the innings for CSK, but Gaikwad batted at No. 3 to strengthen the team's middle order.

Chennai Super Kings Set to Face Lucknow Super Giants on Monday

CSK had to include out-of-form Rahul Tripathi and Deepak Hooda in the batting lineup for the recent match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Chepauk on Friday, April 11. The duo struggled, with Tripathi scoring just 16 runs off 22 balls, while Hooda contributed zero runs in CSK's heavy defeat.

Kolkata Knight Riders won the toss and chose to bowl first on a slow pitch. Moeen Ali, Varun Chakravarthy, and Sunil Narine took six wickets combined, restricting CSK to just 103/9 in the allotted 20 overs. The Ajinkya Rahane-led team chased down the target with eight wickets and 59 balls to spare.

The Chennai Super Kings will play their next match against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Monday, April 14.

Also read: Chennai Super Kings receive Prithvi Shaw's signing