Former Chennai Super Kings spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has thrown his support behind skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, expressing confidence that the opener will soon find his rhythm with the bat in IPL 2026. Despite a modest start to the season, Gaikwad has led CSK to back-to-back wins, a factor Ashwin believes could ease the pressure and help him settle into form.
Speaking on JioStar, Ravichandran Ashwin emphasised that leadership success can often translate into personal confidence. “The fact that he’s got a couple of wins as a captain should really ease him into this tournament. If I were Ruturaj Gaikwad, I wouldn’t be too worried,” he said. “T20 cricket is all about intent, but sometimes it’s about making small adjustments rather than big changes.”
Ashwin pointed out a technical aspect in Gaikwad’s batting approach, suggesting a slight tweak could make a significant difference. He compared Gaikwad’s shot selection with that of in-form teammates like Ayush Mhatre and Sanju Samson.
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“If you look at players like Mhatre and Samson, they’ve been more effective going straight down the ground,” Ravichandran Ashwin explained. “Ruturaj, on the other hand, has been playing across the line a bit too much and getting dismissed early. It might help him to take his time at the start, focus on timing the ball, and play more conventional shots before expanding his game.”
While backing Gaikwad to bounce back, Ashwin also addressed the Kolkata Knight Riders’ struggles this season. He cautioned against expecting immediate turnarounds from individual players, even with reinforcements like Matheesha Pathirana potentially joining the squad.
“You can’t expect one player to come in and change everything overnight,” Ravichandran Ashwin noted. “But we’ve seen it happen before. In 2021, KKR were struggling before the tournament restart, and then they turned things around completely.”
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He credited that resurgence to fresh energy within the squad and believes KKR might need a similar approach now. “Sometimes, bringing in new faces can lift the entire dressing room. They do have options on the bench who could provide that spark,” he added.
Ashwin concluded by acknowledging that while KKR still have time to recover, a turnaround will require collective improvement rather than relying on individual brilliance.
