IPL 2025: Did CSK Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad Fake Injury to Give Leadership to MS Dhoni? Shocking Images Suggest Conspiracy

Add as a preferred source on Google

In what was initially seen as a major setback for Chennai Super Kings, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of IPL 2025 with a fractured elbow, paving the way for MS Dhoni to reclaim the captaincy.

But minutes after CSK head coach Stephen Fleming confirmed the development, dramatic visuals aired on the Official Broadcaster JioHotstar have left fans and experts questioning the entire narrative.

Gaikwad, who reportedly sustained the injury during CSK's match against Rajasthan Royals on March 30, was declared unfit to continue the season. "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," Fleming revealed at a press conference, adding that Dhoni would lead the side from the match against Kolkata Knight Riders at Chepauk on April 10.

However, in a stunning twist, live broadcast footage from CSK's training session showed Gaikwad juggling a football with apparent ease, no signs of discomfort on his face. He was seen having a casual chat with Moeen Ali of KKR, and even playfully tossing the football with his right arm-the same one supposedly nursing a fracture.

Moments later, another clip showed him cradling the football like a basketball, again using the injured arm, albeit with a compression sleeve on it. The sleeve was the only visual indicator of any ailment. A former cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra couldn't hold back his shock on air: "How can he juggle the ball if his elbow is fractured? This is not making sense to me?"

The comment was brief but revealing, echoing what many fans were already asking online: was this truly an injury-enforced exit, or was it orchestrated to bring Dhoni back to the helm? MyKhel can't confirm if the footage shown by the official broadcasters are a recent one or old but presence of KKR player Moeen Ali at the training ground on the eve of CSK vs KKR match at the Chepauk on April 11 suggests the images are recent.

While Dhoni's leadership credentials are beyond question-having won five titles with CSK-questions are now being raised on whether this was a strategic switch masked as a medical concern. With Chennai losing four of their first five games this season, the move might be a last-ditch effort to revive fortunes under their most trusted leader.

Though Fleming's statement sounded sincere and official, the footage airing just hours later has cast doubt on the authenticity of the injury report. If Gaikwad is indeed battling a fracture, his on-field movements and expressions are doing little to prove it.

So far, neither CSK nor Gaikwad have addressed the viral footage or the growing speculation. But with the buzz growing louder by the hour, fans and pundits alike are waiting for clarity. Was it really just bad luck, or is there more to this captaincy change than meets the eye?

One thing is certain: MS Dhoni is back in charge. Whether it was destiny, design, or deception, IPL 2025 just got a lot more interesting.