CSK Told To Replace Ruturaj Gaikwad As Captain With Sanju Samson

Former CSK batter Subramaniam Badrinath urged Chennai Super Kings to hand over captaincy to Sanju Samson and allow Ruturaj Gaikwad to focus solely on his batting in IPL 2027.

Former Chennai Super Kings cricketer Subramaniam Badrinath has suggested a major leadership change at the franchise after another disappointing IPL season. The former India batter believes Ruturaj Gaikwad should be relieved from captaincy duties, with Sanju Samson taking charge of the side instead.

Gaikwad became only the fourth captain in CSK history and the first player after MS Dhoni to lead the franchise consistently for more than 30 matches. However, the pressure of leading a rebuilding Chennai side has reflected in both the team’s performances and his personal form.

Under Gaikwad’s captaincy, CSK managed to win only 14 out of 33 matches and failed to qualify for the playoffs during his tenure as skipper.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Badrinath said, “Ruturaj Gaikwad should not lead CSK. It should be Sanju Samson who should lead them. Ruturaj the batter is too important for CSK. His batting is more important than his captaincy because, anyway, Sanju Samson is a better captain than him. Ruturaj Gaikwad is a phenomenal T20 batter and has done extraordinary things for CSK.”

Gaikwad’s Batting Form Declined During Captaincy Stint

While CSK struggled collectively, Gaikwad himself also endured a difficult IPL 2026 campaign. The stylish opener scored 337 runs at a strike-rate of just 123.44, far below the standards he had set in previous seasons.

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His cautious batting approach also attracted criticism throughout the season. Gaikwad even became the first captain-opener in IPL history to face more than 20 deliveries in an innings without hitting a single boundary.

Badrinath believes the burden of captaincy has directly impacted the opener’s batting freedom and natural style at the crease.

“So once you remove him from captaincy, he’ll perform well as a batter,” Badrinath said. “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.”

Badrinath Cites Sachin Tendulkar And Virat Kohli Examples

The former CSK batter further explained that several legendary cricketers have struggled to balance leadership responsibilities with their batting performances.

“This is not new only to him. 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. Not everyone can have the clarity to compartmentalize between the roles.”

Badrinath also pointed towards Virat Kohli’s success after stepping down as Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain, suggesting Gaikwad could similarly rediscover his best form if freed from leadership pressure.

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With CSK expected to rethink their strategy ahead of IPL 2027, leadership discussions are likely to become one of the franchise’s biggest talking points during the off-season.