Gaikwad's Captaincy Fails: Dhoni Back to Lead CSK

The Indian Premier League tournament is unpredictable, but there are still some types of moments that are the same as at the start. In the session of the 2024 IPL tournament, Chennai Super Kings captaincy shifted from M.S. Dhoni to Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. In IPL 2025, CSK played 6 matches under the captaincy of Ruturaj and lost 5 matches, and he was injured with an elbow injury. After that, CSK captaincy shifted to M.S. Dhoni, and they played their last match yesterday under the captaincy of Dhoni on the 14th of April against the Lucknow Super Giants. CSK won its last match, and the excitement of the CSK and Dhoni fans has returned.

In this article, we will try to understand why Gaikwad's Captaincy Failed:

Ruturaj Gaikwad’s Captaincy Struggles

Ruturaj Gaikwad was appointed as the captain of CSK in the last session of the IPL 2024, and it was a bold move. Former fast bowler of New Zealand, Simon Doull, said, “Leading CSK is the toughest job in the IPL due to Dhoni’s towering legacy.” In IPL 2025, CSK won its first match against the Mumbai Indians on March 23. After that, they lost 5 matches, and they lost against RCB, which was the historical loss of CSK ever. With this performance of CSK, they reached the bottom of the IPL table, where their points are the lowest, just 4! 

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There was growing criticism of Ruturaj's strategic choices. Fans and analysts criticized his bowling rotations, field settings, and failure to play CSK's legendary spin attack, who only bowled part-quotas in the initial five games. Social media buzzed with frustration, with one fan lamenting, “CSK is going nowhere under his leadership.” Doull suggested Dhoni’s presence might have hindered Ruturaj’s authority, stating, “You will never see a captain having full control till MS Dhoni is there.” These challenges painted a grim picture for CSK’s campaign.

The Turning Point: Ruturaj’s Injury

Something surprising happened that caused a big change. On March 30th, while competing against the Rajasthan Royals, Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad injured his elbow and got a small crack. Despite that, he continued playing in subsequent games against Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings. But then, doctors examined scans and realized the crack was real, so that Ruturaj couldn't play for the remainder of the IPL in 2025. The coach, Stephen Fleming, informed everyone. He said Ruturaj desperately wanted to play, but the injury was too bad. This was a major issue for the team because Ruturaj wasn't only the captain but also a key batter for the CSK team.  

The Return of Thala: Dhoni Steps In

Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was unable to play, so CSK appointed MS Dhoni captain once more as the leader of the team, and everyone was so excited! They made this announcement before the Kolkata Knight Riders match. Coach Fleming stated that Dhoni was pleased to captain the team despite them struggling.

Dhoni is a very successful captain in cricket history. He's led the team for 235 games, won 142 of them, which is a great 60% success rate, and won the IPL trophy five times in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023. Fans nickname him "Captain Cool" because he remains calm and takes wise decisions, which has always proved to be a blessing for CSK whenever they're in trouble.

Dhoni makes decisions differently from Ruturaj. He is very skilled, so he chooses the right bowlers depending on the situation and makes smart, swift decisions when the going gets tough. In his very first game as captain back, playing against Lucknow, there was a commentator named Michael Clarke who mentioned Dhoni handled the spinners extremely well, way better than the earlier games.

Expert and Fan Reactions

Experts were divided about Dhoni replacing captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. Ambati Rayudu pitied Ruturaj but wished Dhoni would take CSK to the playoffs, particularly with good use of spinners. Manoj Tiwary liked it for the fans, and Aakash Chopra forecast better bowling plans. But Robin Uthappa cautioned that Dhoni alone would not fix all CSK's ills, particularly with Ruturaj struggling with the bat. Coach Fleming was in agreement, stating hard work remained important.

Fans were elated and nostalgic. Social media was abuzz with excitement over "Captain Cool," with fans recalling his mid-season return in 2022. The overall sentiment was that Dhoni's return could turn things around for CSK.

Challenges and Opportunities

Despite Dhoni returning and bringing along his experience and calm, CSK still has issues. Ruturaj not playing makes their batting weaker, and a youngster, Ayush Mhatre, is playing in his place. CSK needs to shape up quickly to improve its position in the standings. They'll require Dhoni's astute strategies to get the best out of their numerous spin bowlers and bolster the middle section of their batting order. How effectively the team can score runs in the absence of Ruturaj will be extremely crucial.

Conclusion

MS Dhoni has returned as the captain of CSK for the 2025 IPL since Ruturaj Gaikwad was injured, and this is a very big thing. Even though some questioned the fact that Ruturaj was captaining because they were not performing well, Dhoni is a winner, so the fans have hope. All of the people in the IPL will be watching to determine whether Dhoni will be able to work his magic once again and take CSK to another win.