IPL 2025: Ruturaj will make strong comeback, says mum

CSK’s Ruturaj Gaikwad. Pic/PTI

While Chennai Super Kings skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the remainder of IPL-18 due to an elbow injury, his mother Savita is confident her son will make a strong comeback.

Gaikwad, 28, fractured his elbow while facing Rajasthan Royals' pacer Tushar Deshpande in Guwahati on March 30, when he scored a 44-ball 63. "We all are very disappointed [about Ruturaj's injury], but there will always be ups and downs in life. I have no doubt that he will recover fully and make a strong comeback to the game. He does not enjoy anything other than playing cricket and he is never distracted from it. He has a very strong willpower and is a determined boy," Savita told mid-day over the phone from Pune on Friday.

"The injury is unfortunate but now he needs to take proper precaution and rest. It will take time to recover fully. They [CSK medical team] will be taking him for a scan again after three weeks and monitor him," she added.

Meanwhile, Gaikwad's Pune-based first coach Mohan Jadhav, who groomed the opener during his age-group cricket phase, also hailed him for his fighting ability. "Even during his childhood, Ruturaj always wanted to come out of an illness or injury quickly and was eager to play the next match. I'm sure it will be the same this time too and he will come out of this injury and play soon," he said.

In CSK's six matches so far, Gaikwad (122 runs in five games) scored two half-centuries and is the team's third-highest run-getter, after Rachin Ravindra (149) and Shivam Dube (137). At the toss during their home game versus defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders in Chennai on Friday, CSK's five-time IPL-winning captain MS Dhoni, who is leading the challenge in Gaikwad's absence admitted that his team "will miss him [Gaikwad] in the tournament."