Three years ago, Chennai Super Kings found themselves in a similar mess. As defending champions, they lost their first four games before breaking the duck in their fifth. Then too, a new CSK captain was under fire, much like Ruturaj Gaikwad had been in recent days. To steady the ship, MS Dhoni returned to the hot seat.

Fast forward to 2025, and Dhoni, now 43, is back at the helm once again. But unlike 2022, this return is forced, with Gaikwad ruled out of the season due to a