Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming has defended captain Ruturaj Gaikwad’s poor form in IPL 2026, citing the "nature" of the T20 format and urging the rest of the team to ‘cover for him’ until he is back amongst the runs.

Gaikwad has scored only 63 runs in five innings this season. The low strike rate of 105 highlights his lack of intent and cautious approach amid a struggling middle-order in a tough season start.

However, Fleming attributed this struggle to the nature of T20 cricket, noting that Gaikwad is training well but simply hasn't "got away" yet.

“We’re working hard on several things. The team, the captaincy, and the player. He’s going fine. He hasn’t had the returns that he would like, and he’s working hard on that. But that can be the nature of T20. He’s training well. He’s hitting the ball well. He has a positive mindset. He just hasn’t got away yet. But we’ve seen over the years that he’s a quality player," Fleming said in the press conference ahead of CSK’s match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

“If we can cover for him for a few games and he comes into form, then that’s the way an IPL can go. Very rarely does someone dominate the whole way through. But if we have players coming in and out of form and they dovetail, then that’s a good thing. But he’s working hard, and he’s got a lot of support around him," he added.

Critics and analysts suggested shifting Gaikwad to No. 3 to utilize his comfort against spin and promoting the aggressive Ayush Mhatre to open in the powerplay.

While admitting the team discusses all options, Fleming insisted on backing the captain at the top of the order.

“We talk about everything. We’re always looking at different ways. You’ve got to back your captain to the hilt, and Ruturaj’s form will come good. But he’s too good a player not to contribute in this line-up," he remarked.