CSK Captaincy Must Change: Sanju Samson Backed To Replace Gaikwad

Chennai Super Kings could be heading towards another significant leadership decision ahead of the 2027 Indian Premier League season, with former India batter Sadagoppan Ramesh backing Sanju Samson to replace Ruturaj Gaikwad as captain.

CSK have missed the playoffs in each of the last three seasons, and Gaikwad's difficult 2026 campaign has intensified questions over whether the franchise should make a change at the top.

Samson, who joined CSK from Rajasthan Royals ahead of the 2026 season, has emerged as a natural candidate. The wicketkeeper-batter brings substantial IPL captaincy experience and finished the 2026 campaign as CSK's highest run-scorer.

Sanju Samson backed for CSK captaincy

Ramesh believes Samson's leadership experience and standing within the team make him the strongest option if CSK decide to move away from Gaikwad.

"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's such a fantastic team player. The CSK captaincy must be changed, and if it is, CSK must seriously consider Sanju Samson," Ramesh said on his Instagram handle.

Samson has captained 66 IPL matches, winning 33 of them, giving him a 50 per cent success rate. During his tenure with Rajasthan Royals, he led the franchise to an IPL final and another playoff appearance.

Ramesh, however, stressed that changing the captain would not by itself resolve CSK's wider problems.

"Of course, CSK need several other things to change, and just making Sanju the captain won't win them the trophy. But if at all they change captains, Sanju must be strongly considered," he added.

Samson also enters the discussion with considerable recent pedigree. He was named Player of the Tournament at the 2026 T20 World Cup before taking on a new role at CSK.

Ruturaj Gaikwad's difficult 2026 season

Gaikwad's position has come under scrutiny after an underwhelming 2026 campaign.

The CSK captain scored 337 runs at an average of 28.08, while his powerplay strike rate was the lowest among the batters during the season.

His batting struggles have added another layer to the questions around CSK's leadership, particularly after the franchise failed to return to the playoffs for a third consecutive season.

Ramesh is not the first former CSK player to suggest that Gaikwad could benefit from stepping down as captain.

Former CSK and India batter Subramaniam Badrinath had previously argued that removing the leadership burden could allow Gaikwad to rediscover his best form as a batter.

He pointed to the difficulty of separating captaincy responsibilities from batting, particularly for players who tend to think deeply about the game.

The argument, therefore, is not necessarily that Gaikwad has to leave CSK, but that relinquishing the captaincy could allow him to focus entirely on his batting.

CSK face bigger questions ahead of IPL 2027

The captaincy debate is only one of several major decisions facing CSK before the next season.

The franchise is searching for a new head coach after Stephen Fleming stepped down earlier this year, while the future of five-time IPL-winning captain MS Dhoni also remains uncertain.

That leaves CSK potentially facing changes across both their coaching and leadership structures.

Samson's arrival has already given the franchise an experienced alternative, but whether CSK actually make the switch from Gaikwad remains to be seen.

For a team built around continuity for much of its IPL history, the prospect of changing captain, head coach and potentially losing Dhoni would represent a significant transition heading into 2027.