Ruturaj Gaikwad has been with Chennai Super Kings since the 2019 season, first making his name as a reliable presence at the top of the order. Over the early part of his CSK stint, he built a reputation for steady run-making, turning consistency into a platform for the team’s batting plans.
Quick facts
- Gaikwad joined CSK in the IPL starting in 2019.
- In 2021, he won the Orange Cap with 635 runs and was named Emerging Player of the Year.
- In 2024, he was appointed CSK captain.
- As captain in his first season, he scored 583 runs.
- In his second season, he played only five matches before being ruled out with an elbow injury; CSK finished last.
- In the current third season (so far), his scores read: 6, 28, 7, 15, 7 and 19.
His 2021 campaign remains one of the defining chapters of his IPL journey. Gaikwad topped the run charts with 635 runs to claim the Orange Cap, and he also received the Emerging Player of the Year award.
Fast forward to 2024, and the franchise handed him the captaincy. In that first year leading the side, Gaikwad amassed 583 runs, but the following season did not go as smoothly—he managed just five appearances before an elbow injury forced him out, and CSK ended the tournament at the bottom of the table.
Struggles this season
For Gaikwad, the present third season has been his toughest stretch yet. His batting returns so far—6, 28, 7, 15, 7 and 19—highlight how hard it has been to convert starts into meaningful totals.
With Sanju Samson arriving as the “bigger star” at the other end as the opening partner, the spotlight on Gaikwad has only intensified. Former CSK player Subramaniam Badrinath suggested that the extra expectation, combined with the responsibilities of leadership, is weighing on his batting.
Badrinath raised the question of whether CSK might consider changing the captaincy setup. He said it was not simply because Gaikwad is failing as captain, but because the pressure of the role appears to be showing in his performances—so much so that, in Badrinath’s view, it is visible in Gaikwad’s expression.
He also floated the idea of Samson taking over the leadership as a way to “offload” that burden from Gaikwad’s shoulders. Badrinath added that Gaikwad needs to start firing, noting that six matches can be a short run for an opener in the powerplay if results keep coming slowly.
While Badrinath pointed to concerns about Gaikwad’s batting in the wider tournament picture, he acknowledged that the captaincy aspect looked at least “decent” in the match against SRH. However, he felt Gaikwad has not really stepped up in run chases, which is where CSK’s chase momentum often depends heavily on top-order clarity.
Another major theme in Badrinath’s assessment was CSK’s absence in the finishing overs. He said the team is missing MS Dhoni’s ability to hit big in the last two overs, with Dhoni sidelined after suffering a calf strain just ahead of IPL 2026 and still not having played a match.
Badrinath argued that regardless of Dhoni’s physical condition, CSK need him in the death overs given their current struggles. He explained that even now, if Dhoni is batting in the 18th over, the opposing bowler faces immense pressure, as lengths and yorkers become harder to land and Dhoni’s helicopter shot changes the match-up instantly.
In Badrinath’s view, Dhoni’s composure under pressure is the reason the last-over scenario becomes difficult for the chasing side’s opponent. Even if 16 runs are required off the final over with Dhoni on strike, he believes the bowler would still be under significant strain—an edge CSK are currently trying to replicate without him.
