Ruturaj Gaikwad Replaced; MS Dhoni To Drop Pathirana? CSK's Probable XI vs KKR

CSK will face KKR tonight [Source: AP]

In a massive setback for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), their captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the ongoing IPL 2025 season due to a hairline elbow fracture. Meanwhile, under MS Dhoni's astute leadership, the five-time champions are gearing up to face the spirited Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium this evening. 

Chennai Super Kings have had a forgettable IPL 2025 campaign, losing four of their first five matches. As they prepare to take on KKR at home, let's analyse and find out their probable playing XI for this match. 

CSK's Playing XI vs PBKS

Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (WK), R Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary, Khaleel Ahmed
Impact player- Shivam Dube

Rahul Tripathi To Replace Ruturaj Gaikwad?

As Ruturaj Gaikwad has been sidelined from the tournament due to injury, CSK will have at least one forced change in their playing XI tonight. They have several back-up batting options - Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda, Shaik Rasheed, Vansh Bedi and C Andre Siddharth - in their reserves. 

However, they will likely adopt a safe route and bring in an experienced batter as Gaikwad's replacement. In such a scenario, there could be a toss-up between Rahul Tripathi and Deepak Hooda for the available slot at top order. 

(Stats of Rahul Tripathi and Deepak Hooda)

As evidenced by the above stats, Deepak Hooda has been mediocre as a batter in the IPL since 2024. On the other hand, Rahul Tripathi's numbers as a number three batter is impressive; so, CSK might prefer him over the former as Gaikwad's replacement in the XI. 

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Will Pathirana Be Replaced by Nathan Ellis?

(Decline in Pathirana's IPL performance)

CSK's death-overs specialist Matheesha Pathirana hasn't been at his best in the IPL this season. As shown in the above table, Pathirana's IPL numbers have declined significantly this season, as he has managed five wickets at a horrible economy of 9.19. 

Although he still might get a few more opportunities, it won't be surprising if CSK move on from Pathirana and replace him with Nathan Ellis, with their IPL 2025 campaign at stake. Apart from bamboozling the batters with his variations, Ellis can score crucial runs as a lower order batter. 

Meanwhile, Mukesh Choudhary (1 wicket at an economy of 11.83) might also face the axe, with someone like Anshul Kamboj replacing him in the XI. 

CSK's Probable Playing XI vs KKR

Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Rahul Tripathi, Vijay Shankar, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni (C/WK), Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Matheesha Pathirana/Nathan Ellis, Khaleel Ahmed
Impact Player- Anshul Kamboj

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