CSK Signs Teenager As Ruturaj Gaikwad’s Replacement; To Face MI In IPL 2025

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) faced a huge blow in the middle of a struggling IPL 2025 season. Their captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad, was ruled out of the tournament with a broken elbow after he was hit by a Tushar Deshpande delivery against the Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati.

The Super Kings appointed MS Dhoni, the five-time title-winning captain for the franchise, as the leader for the rest of the season, but they still have huge shoes to fill for Gaikwad’s batting skill.

CSK struggles with top-order batting failure

Making his debut in 2020, Gaikwad has already become the fourth leading run-getter of the side in the league. The right-handed batter has nailed 2502 runs in 70 innings at an average of 40.35 and a strike rate of 137.47, thanks to 20 half-centuries and two centuries at the best score of unbeaten 108 runs.

Also Read: Glenn Phillips Ruled Out Of IPL 2025

In the previous contest against the Kolkata Knight Riders, CSK used Rahul Tripathi at number three in the batting department. The Maharashtra batter failed to get his rhythm after opening in the first few games of the event.

In four innings, Tripathi has managed only 46 runs at a strike rate of 97.87. They used both the left-handed Kiwi batters, Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway, at the opening position. But nothing has worked for the franchise.

Against the Knight Riders, CSK was restricted to only 103 runs in their 20 overs. They didn’t show any intent from the start of the innings besides keeping on losing wickets regularly to keep the pressure on their shoulders.

CSK hires Ayush Mhatre as Ruturaj Gaikwad’s replacement

The Super Kings have shown belief in the 17-year-old Mumbai batter, Ayush Mhatre, as Gaikwad’s replacement. Cricbuzz reports that the franchise has asked the batter to link with the team in Mumbai in a couple of days before their next away clash against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.

Mhatre, who was unsold at the mega auction, comes into the side for a base price of INR 30 lakh. He has already smashed 458 runs in seven innings for the domestic side at a strike rate of 135.50 and an average of 65.42.

“He will join the squad in Mumbai in a couple of days.” The CSK source, as quoted by Cricbuzz, revealed. They are currently in Lucknow for the next game against the Super Giants at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium on the evening of April 14.

They also called Mhatre for trials in Chennai a couple of days ago alongside Urvil Patel of Gujarat and Salman Nizar of Kerala. Prithvi Shaw was in the discussion, but the CSK management has decided to ignore the out-of-favor batter.

Mhatre debuted in the first-class cricket last October, and many experts reckon that he could be the future for India at the top order.

CSK aims do-or-die victory vs LSG

The Chennai Super Kings made a nervy start to the IPL 2025 season with a last-over victory at home against the Mumbai Indians. Since then, nothing has gone their way. The Yellow Army lost five successive encounters.

Also Read: Watch- Virender Sehwag Cooks MS Dhoni On LBW Dismissal Outrage

Their fielding has not been up to the mark, dropping crucial catches at the crunch moments of the game. They also lack power in the middle order batting, while Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, two veteran spinners, struggled and haven’t helped them in the cause.

Before a do-or-die fixture against Lucknow, CSK stays at the bottom of the points table with one win in six games at a net run rate of -1.554.