The five-time IPL champions have missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons since 2024. Notably, the team finished eighth in IPL 2026 after winning just six of their 14 matches, leading to criticism of Ruturaj Gaikwad's captaincy and speculation over a possible leadership change ahead of the next season.
Ruturaj Gaikwad played only five games in the 2025 season before an elbow injury ruled him out for the remainder of the campaign. He returned as CSK captain in 2026 but struggled for consistency with the bat. The opener scored 337 runs in 14 matches at an average of 28.08 and a strike rate of 123.44, with just two fifties.
? UPDATE OF CSK CAPTAINCY ?- Ruturaj is likely to remain the Captain of CSK in IPL 2027.- A big section of CSK management wasn't really happy with Rutu's leadership last season.- But still they're likely to give Ruturaj one final season as captain with a fully fit squad.…
— Pratyush Halder (@pratyush_no7) September 9, 2026
Sanju Samson Emerges as Captaincy Alternative for CSK
Sanju Samson joined CSK from Rajasthan Royals ahead of the 2026 season and finished as the franchise’s leading run-scorer with 477 runs. He also scored an unbeaten century against Mumbai Indians during the campaign.
Former cricketers such as Manoj Tiwary and S Badrinath have also backed the idea of handing Samson the captaincy. The argument is that removing the leadership burden could allow Gaikwad to focus fully on his batting and rediscover his best form as an opener.
CSK Likely to Back Ruturaj Gaikwad Despite Captaincy Debate
The decision would give Gaikwad another season to prove himself with a stronger and fully fit squad around him. CSK are also searching for Stephen Fleming’s replacement after the long-time head coach stepped down. The franchise must also decide on MS Dhoni’s playing future for IPL 2027.
Also read: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devdutt Padikkal get fresh ODI selection update
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