Two seasons as captain. Rather one-and-a-half, due to an injury that ruled him out for a big part of the 2025 edition. If there is a current captain in the Indian Premier League with a thing or two to prove, it has to be Ruturaj Gaikwad.
But before moving any further, there is a question that the Chennai Super Kings captain has to answer himself: Is he the leader of this team? Not too long ago, Gaikwad had categorically said, ‘Sir, there is only one boss,’ in reference to MS Dhoni.
In many ways, Gaikwad revealed the real problem at CSK. It has been two years since Dhoni stepped down and passed on the armband to Gaikwad after Ravindra Jadeja found the shoes too big to fill. Last season, when Gaikwad was ruled out with injury after six games, CSK had to again turn to Dhoni as a stop-gap captain.
This time, though, the chances of that happening are slim. In Sanju Samson, they have a captain with enough IPL experience. And caught between the past and potentially the future is the present, Gaikwad.
In the matches he has led, Gaikwad hasn’t exuded an aura similar to Dhoni. In those 19 games, he has had an experienced group of players around him, who have had more international experience than him. So they didn’t need Gaikwad to have a word or two. But now, Gaikwad has one of the most inexperienced squads CSK has ever assembled. There are reputed names, but it is a squad thin on IPL experience which hasn’t tasted much success. And having failed to take this team past the league stages, Gaikwad has a big stake on what happens this season.
And for the first time, Gaikwad would have to do it all by himself in the middle. With Dhoni injured, the odd input about field adjustment or a gentle word with the bowler from the former captain won’t be available.
“Not forcing it, to be honest,” Gaikwad said in a podcast before the start of the season when asked if he was looking to stamp his authority on the team. “Till last year, we had the best experienced players available playing for our team. So, nothing much was really needed.
“This is a very young team. Obviously, excitement is there. You have to allow them to make mistakes. You have to allow them to express themselves. You have to make sure that they are in a good headspace. That’s what we are trying to do,” Gaikwad said.
Tough task
This is not going to be an easy job. To start off, Gaikwad has to ensure this team makes Chepauk the fortress it used to be. Last season, they won just one out of the six matches here as they struggled to get their combination right.
The main reason was that they struggled to decode the conditions. From being a venue that aided spinners, it has changed drastically. Like most venues around the country, it has rolled out flat decks. For two days, Gaikwad and the CSK support staff have had a close look at the pitch.
“Not really sure how it will go this year. We have to adapt accordingly. We have seven games here and will try to make the best use of it,” the captain said.
If it turns out to be a flat deck, Gaikwad’s role will become all the more vital. Having gone for batsmen who provide aggressive intent from the word go, CSK didn’t have the best of starts in Guwahati where Rajasthan Royals seamers had them struggling. CSK know the value of having one batsman who can play long, not necessarily the anchor role.
Gaikwad is their best bet. And if he manages to get runs, it could also have a positive effect on his captaincy.
“Really confident with what skill set we have. In the IPL, there is a lot of pressure from families, media, team members, everyone. To cope with that and get into that IPL performance mode takes time. It is about giving them time,” he said.
