IPL 2026: Remove Rituraj Gaikwad as captain, give responsibility to Sanju Samson; CSK demands ex-cricketer

• Remove Rituraj Gaikwad as captain
• Give responsibility to Sanju Samson
• CSK demands ex-cricketer

Chennai Super Kings IPL 2026 is almost out of the playoff race. Winning their last league match will not be enough to reach the playoffs. After a second consecutive poor season, former cricketer Manoj Tiwary has urged CSK to change the captaincy as Rituraj Gaikwad has also failed to bat. He has suggested handing over the captaincy to Sanju Samson for the next season.

Gaikwad struggled with the bat against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chepauk on Monday. He scored just 18 runs off 21 balls. Chennai Super Kings lost their last home match of the season by 5 wickets. While SRH qualified for the playoffs, CSK is now on the brink of exiting the tournament.

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Manoj Tiwary on Cricbuzz admitted that Rituraj Gaikwad tried his best to fill the void created by Mahendra Singh Dhoni after taking over the captaincy in 2024. Tiwary said Gaikwad’s failure to bat has also affected his captaincy and feels he lacks confidence.

Manoj Tiwary made the comments after Chennai Super Kings ended their innings in Monday’s match, which saw them set a target of 181 for victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Gaikwad managed to score only 9 runs in 11 balls in the powerplay. Not only this, he also became the second player in IPL 2026 to not hit a single boundary in the first six overs.

Although Rituraj Gaikwad is not quite in form, he is the second highest run-scorer for Chennai Super Kings this season, but his lack of consistency and confidence is evident.

Manoj Tiwary advised to hand over the captaincy to Sanju Samson. “Let’s see if he (Gaikwad) remains the captain next season, because I think Samson is in the race for the captaincy. And that would be a good decision,” he said. If Chennai picks him up for a specific reason, he can be considered as the captain. Gaikwad has been the captain for two seasons now… but Samson could be the captain next season. They (CSK) can choose how to finish this season, but they have to make a decision, and Samson will be the best option because he has led Rajasthan Royals and is a good batsman.

For Chennai Super Kings The past few seasons have been tough. In 2024, they finished fifth in the points table. In 2025, they suffered a major defeat and finished last. Their chances of making the playoffs this season are now just 6 percent. If they win their last match and Punjab Kings lose their last match, then they can make it to the playoffs only. Additionally, Rajasthan Royals lose both their remaining matches or lose at least one match and have a poor net run rate.

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