Ups and downs are an inevitable part of a professional cricketer’s journey, but the way players respond to adversity and fight their way back often shapes how they are remembered in the game. Ruturaj Gaikwad currently finds himself in one of the toughest phases of his career, with growing scrutiny over both his batting and leadership credentials as the future captain of Chennai Super Kings after another underwhelming IPL campaign for the 29-year-old.
The criticism surrounding Gaikwad intensified following CSK’s crucial clash against Shubman Gill-led Gujarat Titans on May 21 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. In a must-win encounter for playoff qualification, CSK endured a crushing 89-run defeat after failing to chase 230 and getting bowled out for 140 inside 14 overs. Their inability to stay competitive in a high-scoring T20 contest reflected the larger issues that plagued their season, with the young batting group struggling in pressure situations due to limited support from senior players.
With marquee signing Sanju Samson dismissed for a golden duck and Gaikwad himself managing only 16, CSK missed out on playoff qualification for a third straight season since he succeeded MS Dhoni as captain in 2024.
At a time when criticism and online abuse around Gaikwad continues to grow, former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin publicly backed the CSK skipper, insisting that form in T20 cricket can change quickly and urging people not to write him off. Ashwin drew parallels with Ishan Kishan, whose career saw a dramatic turnaround after joining Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2025 following a difficult spell with Mumbai Indians, where he struggled to justify the INR 15.25 crore price tag from the 2022 mega auction.
“Ruturaj Gaikwad is a good player, I maintain that. Sometimes people abuse him so much, I don’t know the reason. Ruturaj is not a bad player; it can happen to anyone. Fortunes can change anytime. You look at Ishan Kishan. Mumbai Indians spent a lot of money on him in the auction, but he couldn’t do much. SRH also invested in him, and he has been batting well for them. So, time changes everyone. It doesn’t make any sense to abuse any players,” Ashwin remarked in a latest video on his YouTube channel.
Ruturaj Gaikwad endured a tough IPL season
Ashwin’s support carries significance considering Gaikwad’s record since making his CSK debut in 2020. He emerged as one of the franchise’s key batters with a breakthrough 2021 season that fetched 635 runs, before following it up with another 590-run campaign during CSK’s title-winning run in 2023 under Dhoni. Even in his first season as captain, Gaikwad crossed the 500-run mark, with CSK narrowly missing the playoffs on Net Run Rate.
The talent to succeed at the highest level is clearly present despite a difficult 2026 season in which Gaikwad managed 337 runs. As Ashwin pointed out, his situation mirrors Kishan’s resurgence at SRH, where the wicketkeeper-batter has already scored 490 runs this season while helping keep the franchise alive in the playoff race. Kishan also justified the faith shown in his leadership qualities after stepping in for injured captain Pat Cummins earlier in the campaign, guiding SRH to four wins in seven matches.
Ultimately, the decision rests with the CSK management, who may need to show patience and long-term backing towards Gaikwad, much like they once did with Dhoni, to ensure they do not let another talent slip away before he gets the chance to fully rediscover himself.
