August 3, 2025: Following Chennai Super Kings’ worst-ever season in the Indian Premier League (IPL), captain MS Dhoni has assured fans that the team’s batting woes are being addressed. In a recent event, Dhoni announced that opener Ruturaj Gaikwad will make his comeback, a development that he believes will make the team’s batting order “quite sorted.”
Gaikwad, who was sidelined with an elbow injury, was ruled out of the season after April 8. In his absence, CSK’s batting lineup saw frequent changes, a move uncharacteristic of the five-time IPL champions. His return is a crucial piece of the puzzle for a team that finished at the bottom of the points table.
Dhoni admitted that CSK “had a bad season” and that there were “certain holes that we needed to plug in.” Looking ahead to the mini-auction in December, the veteran skipper stated, “Some loopholes are there, and we will try to plug those in.”
Gaikwad’s return to competitive cricket is expected to be in the Duleep Trophy 2025-26. Dhoni expressed his hope that by focusing on their processes and addressing their shortcomings, CSK will be “at their best” in the IPL 2026 season.