Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming has pushed back on criticism directed at captain Ruturaj Gaikwad after the opener\u2019s tough stretch in the ongoing Indian Premier League. Gaikwad has managed only 63 runs across five innings, leaving him with the lowest batting total among openers who have taken the crease at least three times this season. His average sits at 12.60, while his strike rate is 105, numbers that have not reflected his reputation. Speaking ahead of CSK\u2019s upcoming fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Fleming insisted Gaikwad is not far from turning things around. \u201cHe\u2019s going fine,\u201d Fleming said. \u201cHe hasn\u2019t got the returns that he would want, and he is working hard on it. That\u2019s sometimes just the nature of T20 cricket. He\u2019s training well, he\u2019s hitting the ball well, and he\u2019s carrying a positive mindset\u2014he just hasn\u2019t managed to get away yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fleming added that the wider picture has remained encouraging, pointing to Gaikwad\u2019s quality and the way form can swing quickly in the shortest format. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen over the years that he\u2019s a quality player,\u201d he said. \u201cIf we can cover for him for a few matches and then he finds his rhythm, that\u2019s exactly how an IPL season can unfold. Usually, very few players dominate consistently from start to finish, but when different batters come into form at the right moments and the performances mesh well, that becomes a real strength.\u201d He also underlined that Gaikwad is receiving strong backing within the group and that the work continues in training despite the lack of big scores so far.<\/p>\n
With the match set to be played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, CSK will feel the conditions could offer Gaikwad the opening he needs. The venue has often supported high-scoring contests, and with Sunrisers Hyderabad\u2019s bowling attack looking less battle-hardened in this phase, the opportunity is there for Gaikwad to make an impact early. Still, CSK know they cannot afford to waste a good start, especially when the opposition\u2019s senior pacers are not managing to consistently trouble top-order batters. In their previous outing against the Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers were forced to hand debuts to two pacers, and the gamble paid off immediately\u2014Sakib Hussain and Praful Hinge each finished with figures of four wickets.<\/p>\n
Given that the CSK-SRH clash is also scheduled on the same pitch, Fleming\u2019s side will want to ensure that the kind of efficiency shown by that pace duo does not repeat itself. The stadium has also been a fruitful one for Sanju Samson, who has accumulated 593 runs over 13 innings at a strike rate of 164.26. With Ayush Mhatre arriving after a couple of promising knocks, the environment may be conducive for CSK to revisit their top-order setup and explore options that can provide more stability at the start.<\/p>\n
Fleming did not dismiss the idea of Mhatre being considered as a possible opener, but he made it clear that CSK will still lean on Gaikwad as the captain and the player they believe will deliver. \u201cWe discuss everything, so we\u2019re always looking at different approaches,\u201d he said. \u201cYou have to back your captain fully, and Rutu\u2019s form will come good. He\u2019s too good a player not to contribute in this line-up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fleming also pointed to the momentum CSK have built recently, noting that two victories in their last two matches have restored confidence within the squad. However, he stressed that the team will need to be at their sharpest again to extend the winning run and climb into the upper half of the points table. \u201cThe two wins were much needed,\u201d Fleming said. \u201cWe spoke about getting some confidence and some tangible evidence. We were a new group coming together, so we were desperate to get that first win. To get two in a row is a great feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the same time, Fleming cautioned that the job is not finished and that the next contest is far from straightforward. \u201cWe still have a lot of work to do, and we know that,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is a tough fixture for us. We\u2019ve had some tough battles and difficult games here over the last few years, so we know we\u2019re going to have to bring our best again.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming has pushed back on criticism directed at captain Ruturaj Gaikwad after the opener\u2019s tough stretch in the ongoing…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":3399,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"IPL 2026: Stephen Fleming Defends Ruturaj Gaikwad Form","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Stephen Fleming backs Ruturaj Gaikwad after a lean IPL opener run\u201463 runs in five innings\u2014saying the CSK captain will find form soon.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3401","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n