Chennai Super Kings skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad is facing a stubborn batting slump in IPL 2026, a worrying development for a franchise that has won the title five times. Even after CSK ended a run of three defeats with a win over Delhi Capitals last Friday, Gaikwad’s struggles with the bat have continued to stand out, raising questions about his rhythm and role at the top of the order.
Gaikwad’s latest outing vs KKR
- In Tuesday’s match against Kolkata Knight Riders, Gaikwad managed just seven runs.
- He was dismissed in the third over after a mistimed slog sweep off Anukul Roy.
- The dismissal reinforced a pattern in his season so far, with Gaikwad still not reaching a half-century and not even passing the 30-run mark in any innings.
- Across five IPL innings, he has scored 63 runs in total, with scores of 6, 28, 7, 15 and 7, suggesting he is searching for consistency in how he starts and builds his innings.
While CSK’s results have offered brief relief, Gaikwad’s batting has remained a key concern for the team’s decision-makers. Beyond the numbers, the details of how he has been getting out have drawn attention—particularly his difficulty in rotating the strike and keeping the scoreboard moving during the Powerplay, when the top order is expected to set the tone.
Wider T20 trend since 2025
Looking beyond IPL, Gaikwad’s struggles in the shorter format have been visible for a while. Since the start of 2025, his dot-ball rate in T20 cricket has climbed to nearly 38.4, pointing to a phase where he has found it hard to keep scoring pressure on the fielding side. During this stretch, his average has hovered around 18.40, and he has produced only two scores of fifty or more.
Injury disruption and limited lead-in to IPL 2026
Injuries have also played a part in interrupting Gaikwad’s flow. In IPL 2025, he appeared in just five matches before being sidelined, after which MS Dhoni resumed the captaincy role. Although Gaikwad flashed signs of form during that short spell, the lack of regular T20 match practice heading into the next season appears to have affected his timing and overall fluency.
There has been some recent batting impact in other formats. The CSK captain recorded a major contribution in the 50-over game, scoring a century against South Africa in an ODI. However, moving back to the tighter demands of T20 cricket has not yet translated into the same level of smoothness with the bat.
How his IPL record still looks strong
Even with the current dip, Gaikwad’s career numbers in the IPL remain impressive. Since joining CSK in 2020, he has accumulated more than 2,500 runs across 75 matches, including two centuries and several innings of 400-plus runs in a season. That said, his strike rate has often stayed below the elite threshold, and he has managed a strike rate above 150 in a single season only once—during a campaign that ended prematurely due to injury.
What CSK will need next
For CSK, the immediate priority is clear: they need Gaikwad to rediscover the version of himself who can anchor the innings while still ensuring scoring momentum doesn’t stall. With the tournament heading into a key stretch, the expectation will be that the captain finds a better balance between steadiness and intent at the top, and makes a quicker, more consistent impact when the innings begins.
