Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad has opened up about the support he has received from former captain MS Dhoni, as well as how the team has been bolstered by the addition of Ayush Mhatre, Urvil Patel, Dewald Brevis, and Shaik Rasheed.
“From him (Dhoni), the support was always there,” Gaikwad told reporters in Bengaluru. “There was nothing to be shy about and obviously, you know, me missing that tournament and then later on having some replacements (Mhatre, Rasheed, Brevis and others). It really strengthened the squad during IPL 2025, and obviously, me joining again would strengthen it further. So, I feel that is what he meant.”
An elbow injury cut short Gaikwad’s IPL 2025 campaign after just five games. Dhoni stepped back into the captaincy role but was unable to change CSK’s fortunes, with the team ending the season at the bottom of the table. While the struggles were widespread, the batting unit, in particular, bore the brunt of the underperformance.
Recently, at an event in Chennai, Dhoni emphasised that Gaikwad’s return next season would help solve things for the five-time champions: “I think our batting order is quite sorted now. Rutu (Gaikwad) will be coming back. He got injured, but he’ll be back. So, we are quite sorted now.”
Gaikwad is currently playing in the Duleep Trophy for West Zone. The 28-year-old batter scored 186 against a well-rounded Central Zone bowling attack, after his team had been reduced to 10/2.
Reflecting on his ton, Gaikwad said: “I had good time to prepare, especially after not being part of the India A series. And then, after that, coming back, I decided to work on my red-ball game, give it some time, and obviously, I’m still working on it. There’s still a long way to go.”