MS Dhoni believes the return of Ruturaj Gaikwad will give Chennai Super Kings (CSK) the batting stability they missed during a disappointing IPL 2025 campaign.
Speaking at an event in Chennai, Dhoni said the team’s batting lineup is “quite sorted” with Gaikwad set to return from injury. The 28-year-old opener was ruled out after just five matches last season due to an elbow problem, and CSK went on to finish bottom of the table with four wins from 14 games.
“We are slightly worried about our batting order,” Dhoni said. “But I think our batting order is quite sorted out now. Rutu will be coming back. He got injured. But he will be coming back. So, we are quite sorted now.”
Gaikwad has not played since CSK’s match against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur on April 8. He pulled out of a county stint with Yorkshire for personal reasons but has been named in the West Zone squad for the upcoming Duleep Trophy.
Dhoni said the franchise will focus on strengthening the squad during the mini-auction in December. “There were certain holes that we needed to plug in. A small auction is coming. Some loopholes are there, and we will try to plug those in,” he said.
CSK is in the trenches right now, locked in a two-season battle with their own form. Dhoni didn’t sugarcoat it, owning the team’s ‘unacceptable’ performance himself.
But then he put it back on his players, challenging them to use the scars from these losses as motivation. The message was clear: either we learn from this and fight our way out, or we deserve to stay down.
“Yes, the last couple of years have not been good for us,” he said. “We have not been up to the mark. But what is important is to see the learnings. We had to figure out what went wrong first, and I think we’ve been able to do that.”
You could just feel Dhoni speaking from the heart. He was showing everyone that CSK isn’t just a team he plays for; it’s his team, his city. After all this time, the five championships are just a bonus. For him, this is home turf.
“This goes way back,” he said. “Way before the IPL. I made my Test debut in Chennai in 2005.” He made it clear that being with CSK was what helped him mature into the person and the cricketer he became.
Today, CSK is not just a brand in India but also recognized in Australia, South Africa, and other cricket nations.”
Dhoni expressed hope that the upcoming season will see CSK return to form, with Gaikwad’s presence and a few smart auction picks aimed at lifting the team back to contention.
