Overview
- Former CSK player Subramaniam Badrinath said on his YouTube channel on May 23, 2026 that CSK should remove Ruturaj Gaikwad as captain and appoint Sanju Samson.
- CSK finished outside the IPL 2026 playoffs after a disappointing league campaign, a result that has intensified scrutiny of leadership and team performance.
- Gaikwad scored 337 runs in IPL 2026 at a notably low strike-rate, and commentators argue the captaincy burden may be hurting his batting output.
- Sanju Samson was acquired by CSK in a high-profile trade from Rajasthan Royals and emerged as the franchise’s leading run-scorer this season, and former players point to his prior captaincy experience as a reason he could lead.
- The franchise has not announced any captaincy change and must make a decision in the offseason that could affect Gaikwad’s role, team strategy, and selection ahead of IPL 2027.