'Making MS Dhoni captain enough to revive CSK?' Ex-teammate issues stern warning to 'Thala' fans

Ex-CSK star issues stark warning to CSK fans. (Photo: IPL)

The return of franchise legend MS Dhoni as captain of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for the remaining Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season has been formally announced. Due to an elbow injury, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad will be sidelined for the remainder of the season, therefore Dhoni will try to steady the ship.

CSK are presently in ninth place in the IPL 2025 points standings with a net run rate of -0.889 and only one victory in five games. The team will be more motivated by Dhoni's return to leadership, but former CSK batsman and wicketkeeper Robin Uthappa believes the change in leadership won't ensure victory.

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"I don't think him being captain is going to automatically turn the tide for CSK. There are a lot of gaps in that side, right? Well, how do you fix that? How do you cover for a solid batter like Rutu, who seems like the only one finding some form?" Uthappa said after the game between RCB and Delhi Capitals.

Regarding Gaikwad's successor in the batting lineup, Uthappa supported Rahul Tripathi to rejoin the five-time champions at number three.

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"We have Devon Conway, who showed some form in the previous game against Punjab - he scored 69* before getting retired out. Rachin has been a little patchy since the IPL began. You have Rahul Tripathi, who I think will have to come in at number three right now," he added.

For the first time this season, Dhoni will captain CSK when they play the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at home on Friday. To restore CSK's aspirations, Uthappa believes Dhoni will need to address a number of issues.

"Who do they replace to bring in Ruturaj, and what kind of performance will they produce? Sam Curran - does he come back into the fray, or not? There's just so much. So many moving pieces, and a lot will be revealed tomorrow. But will that be enough to revive CSK's hopes in this campaign?" Uthappa questioned.