Former India and Chennai Super Kings batter Robin Uthappa believes Chennai Super Kings (CSK) should stick with Ruturaj Gaikwad as captain, despite Sanju Samson's arrival, emphasizing the need for patience as Gaikwad navigates leadership amidst legendary wicketkeeper-batter MS Dhoni's impending departure.
Samson's trade to CSK was seen as a potential leadership shake-up, but the franchise has opted to go with Gaikwad.
“I don't think CSK should hand over the leadership duties to Sanju Samson. You have to give Ruturaj Gaikwad time to settle as captain. He has been leading the team since 2024. No matter what people say, he is coming out of the shadow of MS Dhoni. You want him to come out completely and stand in his own light. You want to see what he can produce," Uthappa said on JioHotstar’s TATA IPL: Out or Out of the Park.
“You want him to lead the team when MS is not playing and stand on his own, without that overwhelming feeling of always being under that energy. IPL 2026 is likely to be his last year in the yellow jersey. I see him playing more of a mentor-cum-player role this year. I think he will do that. Only then will we see the true potential of Ruturaj Gaikwad as captain. Give him a few years. If it doesn't work, you always have Sanju Samson in the team to handle the captaincy duties," he added.
CSK's decision to stick with Gaikwad underscores their long-term vision. The Maharashtra batter has been a reliable force, amassing 2502 runs in 71 matches at an impressive average of 40.35 and strike rate of 137.47 since debuting in 2020.