Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes Sanju Samson’s presence in the Chennai Super Kings setup could ease the burden on captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is yet to leave a strong mark since taking over the leadership. The five-time champions have seen their standards slip in recent seasons and have missed the playoffs in the last two editions of the IPL. Gaikwad also missed nearly half of the 2025 campaign, a season that ended with Chennai finishing at the bottom of the table. With expectations still high around the franchise, the opener will face the challenge of steering the side back into contention. Chennai have already signalled a shift in direction by investing heavily in young talent at the auction, hoping fresh energy and new ideas can help revive their fortunes in the upcoming season. However, the marquee sign for CSK this season is Samson’s inclusion in the squad.
Pathan feels Samson’s arrival could ease some of the pressure on Gaikwad as he continues to settle into the captaincy role at CSK. He noted that leading a side long associated with MS Dhoni is never straightforward, but believes Samson’s presence and Dhoni’s backing could help Gaikwad grow into the job.
“Sanju Samson’s arrival at CSK will allow captain Ruturaj Gaikwad to express himself a bit more. We have seen him grow as a leader. It is not easy leading in the IPL while also taking forward the legacy of MS Dhoni. That is one of the toughest things to do in your career. But Dhoni’s support, along with the help Sanju Samson brings, will always benefit Ruturaj. Looking at the squad and imagining the playing combination are two different things,” Pathan said on JioHotstar.
“CSK are building for the future too”
Pathan also pointed out that CSK appear to be shifting away from their long-standing template of relying heavily on experienced names and have some exciting talents in their line-up.
“CSK’s success mantra in the past was to bank on experienced players. Now, they have made a change in approach and are going for younger, less experienced players. They are building for the future too. But there are still exciting players in the team like Dewald Brevis, Urvil Patel, Shivam Dube and Sarfaraz Khan. I want to see how they go about their business this season,” he added.
