Former India opener Sadagoppan Ramesh believes Chennai Super Kings (CSK) could be considering a change in captaincy following their struggles in recent IPL seasons. If the franchise decides to move on from Ruturaj Gaikwad as skipper, Ramesh feels Sanju Samson should be seriously considered for the leadership role.
CSK have failed to qualify for the IPL playoffs for three consecutive seasons, while Gaikwad endured a difficult 2026 campaign. His performances came under significant criticism, and Samson’s arrival at the franchise has only intensified speculation over a possible leadership change.
Known for their stability and long-term approach, CSK are unlikely to make a knee-jerk decision. However, Ramesh believes the franchise should look beyond Gaikwad if it decides that a captaincy change is necessary. “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 is such a fantastic team player,” Ramesh said in a video shared on Instagram.
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He further highlighted Samson’s experience as an IPL captain and his success with Rajasthan Royals. “The CSK captaincy must be changed and if it is, CSK must seriously consider Sanju Samson. Samson has also captained 66 matches in the IPL and won 33. So he has a 50% success rate,” Ramesh added.
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Ramesh also acknowledged that changing the captain alone would not solve all of CSK’s problems. “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 would not win them the trophy,” he said.
Gaikwad’s IPL 2026 campaign was particularly disappointing. He scored 337 runs at an average of 28 and recorded the lowest strike rate among batters during the powerplay.
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Former India cricketer Subramaniam Badrinath had earlier suggested that removing the captaincy could actually benefit Gaikwad’s batting.
“So once you remove him from captaincy, he will perform well as a batter. It would not be a harsh decision if he is stripped of the captaincy. It is more beneficial for the player and the franchise,” Badrinath said. With CSK looking to rebuild after three consecutive playoff misses, their decision on the next captain could become one of the biggest talking points ahead of the next IPL season.
