Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has been one of the most successful franchises in Indian Premier League (IPL) history. Now, they are in the spotlight with a well-thought-out strategy to help them regain their past dominance in IPL 2026. CSK has five IPL titles to its name and a passionate following. In IPL 2026, CSK will be led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, and there will be several changes to the squad and the roles of players. Here is an in-depth analysis of the franchise's bold roster for IPL 2026, probable recruitment of Sanju Samson, Gaikwad confirmed to be captain, MS Dhoni's future role, and agreement by Samson to be vice-captain. 

Sanju Samson Set to Join CSK

Sanju Samson's possible transfer from Rajasthan Royals to CSK is dominating the headlines. Driven by social media cues and insider reports, the deal seems more probable as CSK targets a dynamic middle-order batsman. With more than 4,000 IPL runs, Samson brings experience along with explosiveness.

His 285-run IPL 2025 season, even with injuries, maintained his worth. But RR's poor performance and change in leadership might have paved the way for this exchange. CSK supporters are already dreaming of Samson as the perfect No. 3 or opener, particularly with regional connect and his laid-back nature.

Ruturaj Gaikwad to Lead CSK in IPL 2026

Ruturaj Gaikwad will officially captain CSK in IPL 2026, even though he stepped in as captain in IPL 2024. With the runs he scored in IPL 2024 (583 runs) and a decent domestic record, it was an easy choice. Gaikwad will lead CSK with their complete faith, even though he missed parts of IPL 2025 because of injury in the 2025 season.

MS Dhoni publicly endorsing Gaikwad's leadership is key and a clear indication of an important support system. With previous captaining experience for Maharashtra and culminating in an Asian Games victory, Gaikwad is now ready to lead CSK into the future. He will be supported in the leadership group by veterans and emerging star players. 

MS Dhoni to Play but Not as Wicketkeeper

MS Dhoni will return to play for IPL 2026 for the first time, and for the first time not as wicketkeeper. At 43, managing his physical load is very important, and we suspect he has been experiencing knee issues in recent IPL seasons. After his massive contribution as a finisher over the years, he has been an important part of the team even this season as a mentor.

Dhoni's departure opens the possibility for a new keeper—and possibly Samson—to take the gloves. With 196 runs in IPL 2025 and a great tactical brain, he is still useful. For now, Dhoni's brand and influence may have shaped CSK's identity.

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Sanju Samson as Vice-Captain

reports indicate that Sanju Samson has been said to agree to be CSK's vice-captain for IPL 2026. His leadership experience with RR, including an IPL final in 2022, will be an asset to CSK's decision-making panel. Samson's temperament and adaptability are looked upon as ideal matches for Gaikwad.

This signing also points towards CSK's overall leadership plan—developing a solid, young core. With Dhoni and Jadeja covering their backs, the Gaikwad-Samson combination might decide CSK's destiny in the future. The stability this two-leadership duo presents already gets the fans excited.

CSK is evidently working towards equipping itself with a mix of veterans and youth. Having come last in 2025, the franchise is working to address critical holes—particularly in bat depth and leadership. Samson's addition and Gaikwad's captaincy are a sign of proactive rejigging. The foundation of Jadeja, Ashwin, and Noor Ahmad continues to provide CSK a spin-dominated boost at Chepauk. Rising stars such as Ayush Mhatre and Dewald Brevis bring in new energy. Judicious releases prior to the 2026 auction can also pave the way for crucial reinforcements.

After some underwhelming weeks, Ruturaj Gaikwad signed his first county cricket contract, and he is set to play his maiden County Championship with Yorkshire after bagging the deal. The Indian batter who has lots of runs in Indian domestic cricket will try his fortune in England. The 28-year-old batter is now in England with the India A team ahead of the 5-match Test series, which will be the first Test assignment for Team India under a new World Test Championship (WTC) circle.

Gaikwad is unlikely to get any chances in the series, as he was out of the unofficial matches against England Lions too. Gaikwad will join Yorkshire ahead of their Championship fixture against Surrey next month and will remain with the team for the rest of the season, including during the One-Day Cup. 

"I'm excited to be joining up with Yorkshire for the rest of the English domestic season. It has always been a goal of mine to experience cricket in this country, and there is no bigger club in England than Yorkshire. I know how important it is that I hit the ground running at what will be a crucial part of the season," Gaikwad said after confirming the county cricket deal. 

Read More: [WATCH] ENG vs IND 2025: Rishabh Pant breaks Kent County stadium roof with monstrous six

Though Yorkshire's love for Indian cricketers is not new for the cricket world. In the past, legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh also played for the club in England. 

The right-handed batter so far has played a total of 29 matches for India across ODIs and T20Is. But his career graph has yet to justify the talent he carries. In 6 One Day International matches, the Maharashtra-born cricketer has scored only 115 runs and 633 runs in 23 T20Is for team India, including an unbeaten 123-run innings against Australia in Guwahati. He last played for India in July 2024. 

List of Indian players joined Yorkshire:

1) Sachin Tendulkar.

2) Yuvraj Singh.

3) Cheteshwar Pujara.

4) Ruturaj Gaikwad.

India’s Ruturaj Gaikwad has signed with Yorkshire County Cricket Club for the second half of the 2025 English domestic season. The 28-year-old, who captains Chennai Super Kings in the IPL and Maharashtra in Indian domestic cricket, will join Yorkshire ahead of their County Championship match against Surrey at Scarborough on July 22 and remain available through the end of the season. He will also feature in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.

Currently touring England with India A, Gaikwad brings a solid track record across formats. In first-class cricket, he averages 41.77 with seven centuries, while his List A record is even more impressive, averaging 56.15 with 16 hundreds. His ability to adapt across formats and bat anywhere in the top four makes him a versatile addition to Yorkshire’s setup.

“I’m excited to be joining up with Yorkshire for the rest of the English domestic season,” said Gaikwad. “It has always been a goal of mine to experience county cricket, and there’s no bigger club in England than Yorkshire. We’ve got some crucial matches coming up, and I hope to contribute strongly to our campaign.”

ALSO SEE: Rohit Sharma to miss 2027 World Cup? Captaincy twist sparks speculation

Indian Opener Set to Boost Yorkshire’s Batting Line-Up in Championship and One-Day Cup Return

This signing comes after Gaikwad missed the latter half of IPL 2025 due to an elbow injury, making his return to competitive cricket even more anticipated. Yorkshire’s head coach, Anthony McGrath, praised the move: “Ruturaj is a highly accomplished cricketer with a game well-suited to the style we want to play. His presence will bring added strength to our batting and the ability to accelerate when needed.”

General Manager Gavin Hamilton added: “Gaikwad’s consistency across formats and leadership experience will greatly enhance our squad. We’re delighted to welcome him.” Yorkshire fans will be eager to see the stylish right-hander in action as he aims to make an immediate impact in the County Championship and help the White Rose push for silverware in the One-Day Cup.

Rohit Sharma pulled himself out from Test cricket; it was a sudden announcement from the former skipper. The right-handed batter served his team in this format as an opener for years. It will be a hard task for Ajit Agarkar, leading the selection committee, to find the right replacement to fill the vacant spot at the top of the line-up. Test cricket mostly relies on technique and patience, so BCCI needs to pick someone who has both elements in his style of play. Through this article, we'll try to discover 5 players who have the potential to carry the role Sharma had mastered. 

5 potential players BCCI can think about:

Sai Sudharsan

The batter from Chennai had displayed how to score a good amount of runs in T20 cricket without playing any crazy shots. Sudharsan was in flying form, making headlines with his copybook batting skills in IPL 2025 for Gujarat Titans (GT). He scored 5 half centuries for GT in 11 matches, claiming a total of 509 so far, including a highest score of 82. Shot selections and balance while playing a stroke made the left-handed batter more special. 

Abhimanyu Ishwaran

The Uttar Pradesh-born cricketer was very close to entering into the main Test squad when India played against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The right-handed batter proved his skills for the Bengal Ranji Trophy team and India B, grabbed a bag full of runs, and caught the team selectors' eyes. 2024 was the year when Ishwaran achieved multiple tons, which defined his skill and techniques over the game. He has a record of scoring 4 back-to-back centuries in domestic cricket. 

Read More: SRH and LSG begin ticket refunds as IPL 2025 is suspended amid India-Pakistan tensions

Mayank Agarwal

A well-known Indian cricketer, who was once considered to be a great prospect for India, got through into the ODI colors and played multiple Test matches for India as well but was never able to live up to the height where he should be. At over 30, Agarwal showed his class again in the recent past. Last year, when he was playing for Karnataka, he scored multiple centuries, including 3 consecutive tons and five 50s in a row. The experienced batter can be considered as the replacement of Rohit Sharma. 

Ruturaj Gaikwad

Almost a similar career graph like Mayank Agarwal. Ruturaj played multiple ODIs and Tests for India but went out of the squad for his lack of consistency. Before ruling out IPL 2025 due to injury, he looked promising and scored two 50s for Chennai Super Kings. Before the IPL 2025, the form of Maharashtra showed his class by scoring 89 against Baroda.

Narayan Jagadeesan

The Tamil Nadu-born batter made headlines when Chennai Super Kings roped him in for IPL 2020-21 and later joined Kolkata Knight Riders. His technical batting abilities again and again attracted multiple franchises; he can be a good addition in a Test setup for his copybook batting style. He has an attractive domestic career record: a 47.50 batting average in first-class cricket after playing 52 matches and a 46.23 batting average against 64 List A matches. 

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain and rising India cricketer Rajat Patidar has etched his name in the IPL record books by becoming the second-fastest Indian to reach 1,000 runs in the tournament. This milestone further establishes Patidar as a serious contender for a future spot in India’s T20 international squad, thanks to his consistency and aggressive stroke play.

With this feat, Rajat Patidar trails only Gujarat Titans’ Sai Sudharsan, who remains the quickest Indian to reach the 1,000-run milestone, having achieved the landmark in just 25 innings. Patidar, on the other hand, reached the same mark in 30 innings, making him the fastest within the RCB franchise and placing him second overall among Indian batters. The top four fastest Indians to reach 1,000 IPL runs by innings are now led by Sudharsan (25), followed by Patidar (30), with legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar and Chennai Super Kings' Ruturaj Gaikwad tied in third place, each achieving the milestone in 31 innings.

Also read: IPL 2025 Points Table, Purple cap and Orange cap after Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) vs Punjab Kings (PBKS) Match No 34

1. Sai Sudharsan – 25 Innings

Gujarat Titans’ left-handed top-order batter has rapidly emerged as one of the most dependable young talents in the IPL. Sai Sudharsan’s calm demeanor at the crease and his ability to both steady the innings and shift gears when necessary have made him a crucial part of the lineup. Reaching 1,000 IPL runs in just 25 innings highlights his impressive maturity and adaptability. Known for his composed mindset and graceful shot-making, Sudharsan continues to earn praise for performing under pressure.

2. Rajat Patidar – 30 Innings

Climbing the ladder from domestic cricket to IPL prominence, Rajat Patidar has established himself as a key pillar in RCB’s batting order. Renowned for his elegant strokeplay and powerful hitting, Patidar reached the 1,000-run mark in just 30 innings—becoming the first Indian in IPL history to do so with an average over 35 and a strike rate above 150. His iconic century in the 2022 playoffs against LSG remains unforgettable for RCB fans. Now as captain, his batting anchors the team's campaign.

Also read:  RR vs LSG : Match 36 Weather and Pitch report IPL 2025

3. Sachin Tendulkar – 31 Innings

A legend in every sense, Sachin Tendulkar’s name speaks for itself. Despite featuring in only six IPL seasons, his influence was undeniable. Representing Mumbai Indians, he reached the 1,000-run milestone in just 31 innings, showcasing his adaptability in the shortest format of the game. Tendulkar won the Orange Cap in 2010, leading by example with his signature elegance and timeless technique, proving that age is no barrier in T20 cricket.

4. Ruturaj Gaikwad – 31 Innings

The Chennai Super Kings opener is the epitome of timing and elegance. Gaikwad stormed onto the scene with match-winning performances and consistency at the top of the order. He was the Orange Cap winner in 2021, showcasing his ability to score big runs while maintaining a solid strike rate. Reaching 1,000 runs in 31 innings placed him among the most promising future stars of Indian cricket, and he continues to be a key part of CSK’s title ambitions.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is not having a great start in the ongoing IPL 2025. The situation has gotten thinner for them as their skipper, Ruturaj Gaikwad, ruled out from the rest of the tournament due to injury. MS Dhoni was again named CSK captain in place of Gaikwad. Now the question is, who can be the potential replacement for Ruturaj Gaikwad? Let's accumulate some of the probable options Super Kings can rely on. 

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Mayank Agarwal

Ruturaj, mainly a top-order batter, is known for creating a cool, composed innings and can play an anchor role. Mayank Agarwal is one of his kind. The experienced batter had participated from IPL 2011 to IPL 2024 season and remained unsold in this season. The right-handed batter had gotten some notable runs at the end of the previous first-class domestic season. He made 91 vs. Haryana.

Ayush Mhatre

A blooming prospectus of Indian cricket remains unsold in the IPL 2025 mega auction. It is heavily speculated that the 17-year-old cricketer can get a call from CSK management to replace injured Gaikwad. The young cricketer has the capability to play some handy innings if the team requires. His explosive batting style attracted many eyes during some domestic tournaments. Ayush Mhatre had a successful Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 season with a 65.43 average, 458 runs in only 7 matches, and a strike rate of 135.50. It is notable that Chennai Super Kings had called him for a mid-season trial. 

Dewald Brevis

The 5-time Indian Premier League champion side still has an empty slot for an overseas player. Dewald Brevis can be a legit option who can replace Rutu. The swashbuckling batter had shown some brilliant batting displays in CSA DIV-1 2025 and SA20 with batting averages of 66.33 and 48.50. So far in his last 17 innings, he has bagged five 50s and one ton. 

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) supporters were left perplexed when their star batsman and captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad, was spotted playing football even after being ruled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season owing to an elbow fracture. Gaikwad injured himself while playing against Rajasthan Royals on March 30, 2025, in Guwahati, leading CSK to officially announce that MS Dhoni would be the new captain for the rest of the tournament. The surprise image of Gaikwad kicking a football nonchalantly has raised questions regarding the extent of his injury and how long he will take to recover, with fans and pundits left in disagreement.

The altercation occurred during a light-hearted warm-up session at a stadium, where Gaikwad, clad in his CSK training kit, was spotted interacting with teammates on the pitch. Although he was careful with his right arm, the location of the reported injury, he displayed no signs of discomfort making use of his legs, which led to speculation regarding the actual severity of his condition. Gaikwad's elbow fracture, described as a hairline injury according to CSK's official communication, was already a major setback for the team, considering his good form this season, having scored two half-centuries in three games. The team management had decided to play it safe and focus on his long-term recovery rather than an early comeback.

Injured Ruturaj Gaikwad seen playing football!👀🤕

🎥:juylov_vlad/X pic.twitter.com/fQ5PwQRYTb

— CricketGully (@thecricketgully) April 10, 2025

Also Read: IPL 2025: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals Match Highlights

But Gaikwad's footballing activity has prompted some to question whether CSK may have exaggerated the effect of the injury, while others believe that an elbow problem would not necessarily limit lower-body movements. This has generated a buzz around his possible return, although no official word has confirmed any alteration in his status.

What Will This Mean for Gaikwad and CSK's Next Game? 

The event has also sparked discussions about the recovery of athletes in professional sports. Even though Gaikwad's conduct could indicate he has improved enough to compete, they will be without Gaikwad in their next match, on March 25 against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 11, 2025, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai starting at 7:30 PM local time. MS Dhoni will lead a team without Gaikwad, calling

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the remainder of the Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025) after suffering a hairline fracture in his elbow. In his absence, MS Dhoni will take over the captaincy duties for the rest of the season, as confirmed by head coach Stephen Fleming ahead of their upcoming clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday, April 11.

Prior to CSK’s recent match against Punjab Kings, speculation was rife about captain Ruturaj Gaikwad sustaining an injury. Despite the concerns, he featured in the game, which CSK ultimately lost by 18 runs. Following the match, the franchise confirmed the leadership change via a post on their official X account, extending wishes for Gaikwad’s swift recovery. The injury reportedly occurred when Gaikwad was struck on his right forearm during CSK’s earlier defeat to the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Guwahati.

Also Read: WATCH: Ambati Rayudu reacts as MS Dhoni return as captain of Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2025

"Ruturaj Gaikwad ruled out of the season due to a hairline fracture of the elbow. MS DHONI TO LEAD. GET WELL SOON, RUTU !," posted CSK on their X account.

🚨 OFFICIAL STATEMENT 🚨

Ruturaj Gaikwad ruled out of the season due to a hairline fracture of the elbow.

MS DHONI TO LEAD. 🦁

GET WELL SOON, RUTU ! ✨ 💛#WhistlePodu #Yellove🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/U0NsVhKlny

— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 10, 2025

He got hit in Guwahati: Stephen Fleming

During the pre-match press conference ahead of Chennai Super Kings' upcoming game against Kolkata Knight Riders, head coach Stephen Fleming confirmed that an MRI scan had revealed the full extent of Ruturaj Gaikwad's injury. The CSK skipper sustained a hairline fracture on his right forearm, ruling him out for the rest of the IPL 2025 season. Fleming also officially announced that former captain MS Dhoni would lead the side for the remaining matches. The decision marks Dhoni’s return to leadership duties, bringing a wave of anticipation and excitement among CSK fans as the team navigates through the rest of the tournament.

"He got hit in Guwahati. He's been operating 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, in the radial neck. 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 the tournament from now. We have an uncapped player, MS Dhoni, who will take over as captain for the remainder of the IPL," Fleming said at the pre-match conference.

Irfan Pathan was clearly unhappy with the fielding in the IPL 2025 match between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Both teams dropped several easy catches, and Irfan didn’t happy back in pointing out the poor fielding effort.

The match took place in Mullanpur on Tuesday, April 8. After winning the toss, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer chose to bat first. Punjab made the most of the opportunity, putting up a big total of 219/6. Young opener Priyansh Arya stole the show with a brilliant century off just 39 balls. Shashank Singh remained unbeaten on 52, and Marco Jansen added a handy 34* to boost the total.

8 drop catches in the game today. Itne to legend league mein Nahi chorte bhai.

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) April 8, 2025

In reply, CSK fought hard but could only reach 201/5. Devon Conway was the top scorer with a steady 69 off 49 balls, but it wasn’t enough. After the match, CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad admitted that dropped catches have been hurting the team. “In the last few games, fielding has made the biggest difference. We’re dropping catches, and those same batters go on to add 15–30 more runs,” he said.

ALSO READ: IPL 2025: RCB vs. DC - A Head to Head breakdown

He also felt the team bowled well and picked up wickets regularly but couldn’t stop Punjab’s momentum. “If we had saved 10–15 runs, it would’ve made a big difference. Batting-wise, we did well. Rachin and Conway played pace nicely, and we had a strong start. We were just two or three big shots away. Devon is more of a timer, and he looked good out there,” Gaikwad added. CSK will try to get back to winning ways when they take on Kolkata Knight Riders at home on Friday, April 11. Punjab Kings will next face Sunrisers Hyderabad in Uppal the following day.

The IPL match between Punjab Kings(PBKS) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Mullanpur was a run feast by the two teams. Opting out to bat first Punjab Kings started with a blinder, where young batsman Priyansh Aryan stormed the innings with a brilliant century scoring 103 runs on 42 balls, with the help of Shashank 52 runs on 32 balls and Jansen 34 runs on 19 balls, they scored 219 runs with the loss of 5 wickets. 
Chasing the target, CSK started well with Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra at the crease, providing a good start to the team. Though Rachin went early, Conway 69(42) carried away the innings. Though CSK tried to conquer the chase with the likes of Shivam Dube 42(27), Ms Dhoni 27(12) were short by 18 runs. Apart from match proceedings catch drops from both the teams became the highlight of the show. 

Read More: 'If You're Nervous, You’ll Drop a Catch' — Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad reacts after loss to Punjab Kings in match number 22 of IPL 2025
Irfan Pathan Makes A Huge Statment
 There have been many droppers in this IPL season and the highest was recorded in this match, where 8 catches were dropped by both teams. Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan highlighted the catch drops into his X (formerly known as Twitter) account. He started with an example of comparison to Legends League stating "8 drop catches in the game today. Itne to legend league mein nahi chorte bhai (we don't drop this many even in legends leagues)," Pathan wrote on X. 

8 drop catches in the game today. Itne to legend league mein Nahi chorte bhai.

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) April 8, 2025

These catch drops proved costly to both the teams, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) players dropped Priyansh two times, and Jansen and Shashank were too given a lifeline. Which boosted PBKS score to 219. Even though Punjab Kings (PBKS) players dropped many it didn't cost them much where CSK had to lose the match by an 18-run margin. CSK fielding in this tournament hasn't been that good, though possessiexpericed they are slipping away their chances. 

Ruturaj On Catching Mistakes
Even at the last match presentation, CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad highlighted the issue of drop catches which cost them few a maa matches, he goes on I think the last four games, the only point of difference (fielding being the difference). It has been critical. The catches we have been dropping, the same batsman is scoring 15, 20, 30 runs. 

We were getting wickets at regular intervals but they kept the momentum going. 10-15 runs lesser would have helped us. But it comes down to dropped catches. It was spot-on in the batting perspective. CSK this year's season is under a critical condition where a blunder of one department has cost them the entire match. It's high time for them to look into the departments that require the alterations if not, they will be out of the Playoffs soon.