Chennai Super Kings have started IPL 2026 in a way that has left plenty of questions hanging over the franchise. After six matches, they have managed only two victories and find themselves placed seventh on the points standings. With results not coming through, attention has also sharpened on captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, whose batting form has dipped noticeably. In six innings, Gaikwad has accumulated 82 runs, averaging 13.67, with a strike rate of 112.33\u2014figures that underline a clear loss of momentum at the top of the order.<\/p>\n
Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar, however, believes the criticism should not be directed at Gaikwad alone. Speaking on Sportstar\u2019s Insight Edge podcast, he argued that the bigger responsibility lies with those making key calls behind the scenes. \u201cThis blame, I\u2019m going to put at the doorstep of the owners and people who make the big decisions,\u201d Manjrekar said. His reasoning was that Gaikwad, even before taking over the captaincy, had looked immensely effective opening the batting, implying the present struggles may be symptomatic of wider issues rather than purely a captain\u2019s shortcomings.<\/p>\n
Manjrekar also pointed to the way public attention and team-handling around MS Dhoni could be influencing the environment around Gaikwad. He suggested that the constant conversation surrounding Dhoni\u2014whether he would play, and whether he would lead\u2014has not been managed well. \u201cAnd then that thing with M.S. Dhoni, whether he\u2019s going to be playing, whether he\u2019s going to be captain, they handled that very badly,\u201d he said. He went on to argue that a culture of over-celebration can blur perspective in cricket, stating that the Dhoni fanbase is not just ordinary support but can slide into a kind of sycophancy. \u201cI mean, there isn\u2019t just a fan following of Dhoni, there is sycophancy around it,\u201d Manjrekar added.<\/p>\n
To illustrate how that kind of reaction can distort judgment, Manjrekar recalled an earlier moment involving Dhoni that drew an intense response from supporters. \u201cThere was [this] one instance of Dhoni trying to put his bat into the crease, and it was a very close call. And I said, well, he is clearly short of the crease, and it should be run out. They [fans] got angry with me for saying that because it was anti-Dhoni,\u201d he said, suggesting that in such situations, people can lose sight of the wider picture and focus too heavily on the figure rather than the cricketing call.<\/p>\n
Dhoni, meanwhile, has been absent from IPL 2026 action so far due to a calf injury suffered ahead of the season. When asked whether the veteran\u2019s eventual return could reduce pressure on Gaikwad, Manjrekar sounded unconvinced, questioning how Dhoni would realistically fit into the team\u2019s current structure and on-field demands. \u201cMaybe, but then you have to play Dhoni on the field. And how do you do that?\u201d he remarked. He also suggested that Dhoni\u2019s ability to deliver consistently has become increasingly difficult, comparing it to a role that once involved coming down the order and taking quick swings for a brief spell. \u201cSo it was a bit of a joke when he used to come down the order and just play three or four balls. The coverage would hype that up as well \u2013 \u2018What an innings.\u2019 And it lasted four balls,\u201d Manjrekar said, adding that this sort of short, highlight-driven impact is no longer a workable pattern.<\/p>\n
From there, Manjrekar argued that expecting a long-term return to that earlier style would be unrealistic. \u201cSo that\u2019s not feasible anymore, and it was never going to be a long-term thing,\u201d he said. He then added a careful caveat about his inability to know exactly what Gaikwad felt while Dhoni was present but not captaining, compared to a scenario where Gaikwad is fully in charge without Dhoni involved. \u201cI can\u2019t pretend to know how Ruturaj felt when M.S. was on the field, but not captaining, as opposed to M.S. not being there and he being solely in charge,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Manjrekar broadened the conversation beyond CSK alone, drawing a comparison with Mumbai Indians. In his view, both franchises can become excessively tied to established names, big-brand players, and familiar faces rather than prioritising those currently in their peak. \u201cCSK and Mumbai Indians are slightly guilty of being emotionally connected and invested in the big-name, big-brand players a bit too much. CSK even more so with Dhoni,\u201d he said. He argued that this approach can keep teams from building around players who are truly at the top of their powers in T20 cricket. \u201cThis means that you\u2019re not getting people who are in their prime. It\u2019s like living in the past a little bit,\u201d Manjrekar added.<\/p>\n
With T20 evolving at a fast pace, he stressed the need for franchises to remain aligned with the modern realities of the format. \u201cIt\u2019s just about getting guys who are in their prime in T20 cricket. It\u2019s such a modern-day format, so it\u2019s best to be current with everything that you do with your team,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chennai Super Kings have started IPL 2026 in a way that has left plenty of questions hanging over the franchise. After six matches, they have…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4100,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"IPL 2026: Sanjay Manjrekar Questions CSK After 6 Matches","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"IPL 2026: Sanjay Manjrekar targets CSK\u2019s team balance and Ruturaj Gaikwad\u2019s slump after six matches as Chennai sit seventh in the standings.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4101","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n