IPL 2026: CSK Told To Sack Ruturaj Gaikwad, Hand Over Captaincy to Sanju Samson

Five-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have a forgettable start in the 19th edition of the tournament, and it has raised serious concerns about the team. One of the biggest talking points has been the leadership, with former India batter Subramaniam Badrinath suggesting that the franchise should at least consider taking the captaincy away from Ruturaj Gaikwad so he can focus on his batting.

Notably, Gaikwad has not been able to deliver consistent performances at the top, and MS Dhoni is also unavailable. With Sanju Samson already part of the squad and having captaincy experience, the idea of a leadership change is now being seriously discussed.

Why did Badrinath urge CSK to appoint Samson as captain?

Gaikwad’s dip in form has only added to the pressure. Badrinath, speaking on his YouTube channel, clarified that he is not questioning Gaikwad’s ability as a captain. Instead, he feels the added responsibility is affecting his batting, and CSK might need to address that before things get worse.

“It is worth pondering if the CSK management will think about removing him as captain and handing the role to Sanju Samson. It’s not because he’s failing terribly as captain, but the captaincy burden is clearly showing in his batting. You can see it in his face that he’s under immense pressure. Just to offload that pressure, can CSK replace Ruturaj with Sanju as captain?” Badrinath said on his YouTube channel.

Badrinath on Ruturaj Gaikwad's form

So far this season, Gaikwad has not produced the kind of starts expected from an opener. In six matches, he hasn’t managed to play a big innings, which is a concern for someone who is supposed to lead from the front. For a player of his quality, the returns have been disappointing, and with captaincy added on top, it becomes even more difficult.

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Badrinath also pointed this out clearly. “Ruturaj needs to start firing. Six matches is a lot when you are opening and batting in the powerplay and keep failing. His captaincy was at least decent, though, in the SRH game. He hasn’t stepped up at all in run chases,” he said.

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CSK’s problems have not just been about losing games, but also how they have lost them. In their match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, they were in a strong position at one stage but failed to finish the game. The middle overs slowdown and poor execution at the end once again highlighted their inability to close out matches.

Badrinath explained how Dhoni’s absence is making a difference.

Dhoni’s absence has also made a big difference. According to Badrinath, CSK still need him in the death overs because of the pressure he puts on bowlers just by being there.

“Irrespective of the physical issues he has, CSK desperately need him in the death overs, with the way they are struggling. Even now, if MS Dhoni is batting in the 18th over, the bowler is under pressure. Lengths and yorkers will miss, and he will play the helicopter shot. His calmness and composure mean that even if 16 are needed off the last over with him batting, the bowler will be under immense pressure,” he said.

Will CSK change captain mid IPL?

Meanwhile, Sanju Samson’s name is being discussed for a reason. He is an experienced IPL captain and a senior player who brings leadership skills along with his batting. That makes him a natural option if CSK decide to make a change.

However, there has been no official sign from CSK about any change in captaincy. But after six matches, the pressure on Gaikwad is not just about scoring runs anymore. It is also about whether he can handle both captaincy and batting responsibilities at the same time.