Ruturaj Gaikwad is deeply disappointed as he has been ruled out for the rest of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season due to a hairline fracture in his elbow. This injury occurred during a match against the Rajasthan Royals, and the news was shared by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming during a pre-match press conference ahead of their game against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
In Gaikwad’s absence, MS Dhoni will step in as captain, taking on the leadership role for the first time since the IPL 2023 final against the Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Ruturaj expressed his feelings on CSK’s social media, saying, “I am really gutted to miss the rest of the IPL due to an unfortunate elbow injury. I want to thank everyone for your support so far; it truly means a lot.”
The Super Kings have struggled recently, losing their last four matches and sitting at ninth place on the points table with just two points and a net run rate of -0.889. Despite the tough season, Gaikwad is hopeful that Dhoni can help turn things around. He commented, “Yes, it’s been a challenging season, but we’ve got a young wicketkeeper leading the team now, and hopefully, things will improve. I’ll be right there supporting them from the dugout.”
He added, “I would’ve loved to help lift the team out of this situation, but some things are simply out of our control. I’m looking forward to backing the boys for the rest of the campaign, and here’s to a strong finish to the season.”
CSK started the season on a high note, winning their opening match against the Mumbai Indians, but their form has declined since then, leading to their current position at the bottom of the table.
