New delhi, April 10 -- This is turning out to be a summer of surprises. On Thursday, former India captain MS Dhoni was named as captain of the Chennai Super Kings for the remainder of the IPL 2025 season as Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out with an elbow fracture sustained last month.

For those who feel Dhoni is past his prime, the CSK think-tank still treats him as valuable. Dhoni may not be able to score runs like before, but as a wicketkeeper, his reflexes, hand-eye coordination and speed has seen him effect many stumpings.

"Unfortunately, Ruturaj Gaikwad is going to be ruled out of the tournament," said coach Fleming. "He got hit in Guwahati and has been operating (playing) with an amount of pain. We got an X-ray, which was inconclusive, and we had an MRI, which revealed a fracture in his elbow, so we're disappointed and feel for him.

"We appreciate the efforts that he's gone to in terms of trying to play but unfortunately, he'll be out of this tournament for now. We have an uncapped player in MS Dhoni who will take over as captain for the remainder of the IPL," added Dhoni,

There is no panic in the CSK camp with the 43-year-old Dhoni as the leader. Some fans might feel he is past prime, but the diehard CSK fans still swear by Dhoni. To see an uncapped player with a paltry 'price' fixed before the auction, Dhoni is still the boss at CSK. In terms of tactical supremacy and motivating the boys, Dhoni is par excellence. He trains for the IPL and is ready for the rigours. And for the rumour mill which speculated Dhoni was going to retire last week, as his parents had come to see him play, which is a rarity, the CSK and Dhoni romance only grew on.

Going by what coach Fleming said, Dhoni has offered to lead without any reluctance. That has been his greatness, even as the team plans on a replacement for Gaikwad. For someone like Dhoni who has captained CSK in 235 matches and led them to five IPL titles, the development adds a fresh twist. Those who think Dhoni is past prime, hang on. He is ready to lead, officially. CSK fans have reacted to the news positively. To see him play just in the IPL is a big deal for them.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.