Chennai Super Kings (CSK) finished the 2026 edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) with 6 wins and 8 defeats, missing out on the playoffs for the third consecutive year.
This performance also put skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad under severe scrutiny. Gaikwad, who was given the great responsibility of filling MS Dhoni's shoes in 2024, amassed 337 runs at an average of 28.08 and a strike rate of 123.4 this season.
The inclusion of veteran wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson in the CSK setup has also intensified debates regarding whether he should replace Ruturaj Gaikwad as the franchise's leader.
Following a trade from the Rajasthan Royals, Samson served as vice-captain and became CSK's leading run-scorer during the IPL 2026.
Former India batter Sadagoppan Ramesh too believes Samson should be handed CSK’s reins, considering his credentials at RR as leader.
"CSK are seemingly considering many options for the captaincy and even wondering whether a change is needed. Sanju Samson should be considered as captain because he’s such a fantastic team player. The CSK captaincy must be changed, and if it is, CSK must seriously consider Sanju Samson,” said Ramesh on his Instagram handle.
“Samson has also captained 66 matches in the IPL and won 33. So he has a 50% success rate. Under him, RR performed well, reaching the final and making another playoff appearance. Of course, CSK need several other things to change, and just making Sanju the captain won’t win them the trophy. But if at all they change captains, Sanju must be strongly considered,” he added.
Earlier, former CSK cricketer Subramaniam Badrinath had suggested that relieving Gaikwad of captaincy pressures would allow him to focus entirely on his batting and regain his peak form.
“So once you remove him from captaincy, he’ll perform well as a batter. It won’t be a harsh decision if he is stripped of captaincy. It’s more beneficial for the player and the franchise. It’ll only do Gaikwad a world of good. This is not new to him alone. Even greats like Sachin Tendulkar have been affected by captaincy. If you are someone who is intense and thinks too much, it’s hard to detach from captaincy even while batting,” Badrinath had said on his YouTube channel.
CSK are currently in the hunt for a new coach after Stephen Fleming parted ways with the franchise after 18 years. For now, legendary former skipper MS Dhoni’s participation for 2027 season remains unconfirmed.
