Ravichandran Ashwin has voiced his backing for Ruturaj Gaikwad after Chennai Super Kings’ disappointing IPL 2026 run, urging supporters to rein in their anger and stop targeting the young captain with abuse. CSK’s campaign ended in heartbreak, with the franchise officially knocked out following a heavy loss to Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad.
Quick facts
- CSK were eliminated after a defeat by 89 runs to Gujarat Titans on May 21 in Ahmedabad.
- Chennai finished the league stage with six wins and eight losses.
- It was CSK’s third failure to reach the playoffs in the previous four seasons.
- MS Dhoni did not play a single match in IPL 2026.
- Gaikwad scored 337 runs in 14 innings at an average of 28.08.
- His strike rate was 123.44, and criticism peaked after a slow 50 against Gujarat Titans.
Ashwin’s message was direct: Gaikwad, in his view, is a competent player, and harsh online attacks are unnecessary. He also emphasized that poor patches can strike anyone, pointing to changing fortunes across careers rather than singling out the CSK captain.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said he cannot understand why fans choose to abuse Gaikwad. He added that time and form can shift for every cricketer, and argued that it is pointless to attack players during downturns.
To underline his point, Ashwin referenced Ishan Kishan’s experience—noting how Mumbai Indians spent heavily to sign him in an auction, yet his early stint in their colours did not deliver the expected output. He then contrasted that with Kishan’s better batting rhythm for Sunrisers Hyderabad, using it as an example of how fortunes can reverse across teams and seasons.
Competition has changed
Ashwin also argued that the IPL is far more competitive now than it was during the period when CSK were dominant under Dhoni. He recalled that for many years, the public had become accustomed to the idea that Chennai would routinely reach the business end of the tournament, but insisted that the league no longer offers such predictability.
With 10 teams in the competition, Ashwin stressed that every franchise is capable of producing strong cricket on any given day. He suggested that this season, CSK’s results against teams positioned below them showed they still have work to do, while also hinting at real potential within the squad.
Gaikwad’s own numbers reflect a tough year in both roles—batting and captaincy. CSK had reacquired him for INR 18 crore ahead of the mega auction, and he went on to total 337 runs in 14 innings. His average of 28.08 and strike rate of 123.44 ensured his performances remained a major talking point throughout the season, particularly because of Chennai’s uneven start in the Powerplay.
One of the sharpest moments of criticism arrived during Chennai’s group-stage meeting with Gujarat Titans. Gaikwad reached his half-century in 49 balls, which turned out to be the slowest fifty of IPL 2026, adding fuel to discussions about his impact in key phases.
For CSK, the broader context made the struggle even tougher. The 2026 season marked a major transition for the franchise, with the absence of MS Dhoni as he did not feature in any match during the campaign. With Gaikwad leading a side described as young and injury-hit, Chennai struggled to reproduce the consistency that had often defined the Dhoni era.
Chennai’s final league-stage record—six wins and eight defeats—sealed their fate and delivered a rare setback for one of the IPL’s most decorated franchises. It also represented the third time in four seasons that CSK failed to qualify for the playoffs, underlining how far the team’s journey has been from its usual standards.
