Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson and MS Dhoni for CSK in IPL [Source: AFP]Ruturaj Gaikwad seems to be walking on thin ice, at least according to reports. Having led the CSK franchise in the IPL 2026 season this year, the ‘Yellow Brigade’ managed to secure just six wins from 14 league games under his leadership.Failing to qualify for the playoffs, Gaikwad’s captaincy tenure is reportedly under threat from the CSK management. Moreover, the arrival of Sanju Samson at the franchise may also have contributed to the growing uncertainty surrounding his future as captain.CSK management “unhappy” with Ruturaj Gaikwad as captainAs reported by Times of India journalist Dwaipayan Datta, the CSK management is “unhappy” with the way Ruturaj Gaikwad has been leading the team. The report states that Gaikwad’s captaincy tenure is on “thin ice” after the team’s poor performance in recent seasons, especially after their performance in IPL 2026 earlier this year, which also coincided with the entry of fellow captaincy candidate Sanju Samson.Also Read- Ruturaj Gaikwad Goes Public On CSK Head Coach Before MS Dhoni Seals DecisionWhile the CSK management is not satisfied with Gaikwad’s captaincy, the cricketer might still receive one more season as captain on “compassionate grounds” for next year’s IPL 2027.Ruturaj Gaikwad record as CSK captainRuturaj Gaikwad was named CSK captain prior to the IPL 2024 season, shortly after five-time champion MS Dhoni stepped down from the role. Under his leadership, the CSK franchise finished fifth on the IPL 2024 points table and fell agonizingly short in making it to the playoffs.In IPL 2025 last year, the Maharashtra batter spent a major part of the season on the sidelines owing to an injury, with MS Dhoni re-taking the role on an interim basis. Under the combined leadership of Gaikwad and Dhoni, the CSK franchise endured its worst-ever campaign in history by finishing at the bottom of the table.In this year’s IPL 2026, CSK once again failed to make it to the playoffs, this time by finishing eighth out of 10 teams, securing just six wins at the expense of eight defeats from 14 matches.So far, Gaikwad has captained the CSK on 33 occasions, the highest after MS Dhoni. However, the skipper holds a winning percentage of just 42.42 percent based on his 14 wins and 19 defeats.M SatyaKam @satyakam92 🚨 BREAKING on CSK - Ruturaj Gaikwad's captaincy is on thin ice after poor performance and Sanju Samson's entry - Large sections of CSK management are unhappy with the way Ruturaj lead the team last szn - Rutu likely to be given one more year mostly on compassionate grounds Sep 9, 2026, 7:03 PM When CSK fought for Gaikwad’s captaincyIt is worth noting that not long ago, the CSK franchise reportedly fought for the continued existence of Ruturaj Gaikwad as captain.The development occurred when the franchise was showing keen interest in Hardik Pandya for a possible trade from Mumbai Indians. However, the talks reportedly fell through after Pandya demanded captaincy, with CSK not willing to let go of Gaikwad.While all of these developments remain based on reports and unverified claims, they certainly raise questions over whether CSK will continue with Gaikwad as their captain heading into IPL 2027.Is Sanju Samson the right candidate to replace Ruturaj Gaikwad for IPL 2027?While Sanju Samson is reportedly on the radar to become CSK captain, the blistering wicketkeeper-batter already holds a legion of captaincy experience from during his time with the Rajasthan Royals.He also led the Royals into the IPL 2022 final. All in all, Samson is indeed an ideal captaincy candidate, if the CSK franchise was ever looking for a change.Also Read- Alzarri Joseph Making a Strong Case for IPL 2027 Return
