For a franchise that prides itself on its continuity, Chennai Super Kings are set to face a leadership dilemma of considerable magnitude. As CSK has failed to qualify for the playoffs in three straight years, there is growing speculation that Ruturaj Gaikwad is set to lose the captaincy when the 2027 Indian Premier League season kicks off.
Former India batsman Sadagoppan Ramesh has floated a potential contender for the No 1 job, saying that Sanju Samson would make an astute successor should Gaikwad be pushed out at the end of this year. The veteran batter has cited Samson's experience, temperament and leadership qualities as key reasons why the wicketkeeper-batter would make a credible successor to the five-time champions' current skipper.
Why Sanju Samson Has Entered the Conversation
Sanju Samson came to CSK from RR ahead of the 2026 season with something that CSK could now do with: a wealth of experience as captain of an IPL team.
The Kerala batsman has captained 66 IPL matches, winning 33 of them, for a 50 per cent success rate. He steered them to an IPL final and an additional playoff appearance.
His maiden season in Chennai had also helped his cause from a batting point of view. Samson finished the 2026 campaign as CSK's leading run-scorer, while his stock had received a huge boost after being named Player of the Tournament at the 2026 T20 World Cup.
To Ramesh, these strengths make Samson an obvious name to be at the forefront of the franchise's considerations if CSK are ready for another shake-up at the top.
“CSK are seemingly considering many options for the captaincy and even wonder if a change is required. Sanju Samson should be considered as captain because he's such a fantastic team player. The CSK captaincy must be changed, and if it is, CSK must seriously consider Sanju Samson,” Ramesh said on Instagram.
There is, however, a caveat. For all the positives around Samson taking over, he would not solve the issues that have driven CSK away from the top of the IPL.
“Of course, CSK need several other things to change, and just making Sanju the captain won't win them the trophy. But if at all they change captains, Sanju must be strongly considered,” he said.
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The nuance could be crucial. CSK's problems stretch far beyond the captaincy, and a change in leadership would only represent a piece of an overhaul of the franchise.
Ruturaj Gaikwad and the Weight of Captaincy
Gaikwad's case is complicated by the fact that his struggles with the bat have come with CSK's fall in form.
The CSK captain scored 337 runs in the 2026 season at an average of 28.08, with his powerplay strike rate also the worst among his team's batters during the campaign.
It is a set of figures that have been particularly difficult to accept for someone who has long been considered a cornerstone of CSK's future.
Perhaps more concerning is the extent to which it can be argued that Gaikwad's performances with the willow have suffered because of the responsibility of captaincy.
Former CSK and India batsman Subramaniam Badrinath has suggested that taking the weight away from Gaikwad as captain could allow him to get back to the best of his game.
It is a compelling argument when applied to a batter who is famed for his thinking.
Captaincy can add another layer of responsibility on to a player and the pressures that come with taking charge can be tough to deal with alongside the demands of batting.
In that sense, removing Gaikwad as captain does not necessarily mean being rid of him as a player.
CSK's Bigger Leadership Puzzle
The captaincy debate is just a piece of what could be a major shake-up at CSK. The franchise is also in search of a new head coach, having said goodbye to Stephen Fleming earlier this year.
Then there is the still-unsolved issue around MS Dhoni, whose future will be one of the most talked-about topics whenever CSK look towards the start of a new season,
If Dhoni does not return, Fleming is gone, and Gaikwad is replaced as captain, that will be an unusually significant transformation for a franchise that has been defined by its consistency in the past.
That makes the Samson question more interesting, as he offers an experienced alternative without needing to look anywhere other than its existing squad.
Samson knows the pressure of an IPL captaincy and has already steered a team to the business end of the competition, while his presence offers CSK someone who can be trusted to take charge over a long period.
There is, however, a philosophical choice for CSK to make: do they continue to invest in Gaikwad as the successor to the Dhoni era and go through a transition that is gradual, or do they feel the need for something more immediate?
CSK have not been a franchise that has reacted hastily, finding success through trusting experienced players and sticking with them for a long time.
Three successive playoff-less campaigns, however, have changed things.
Gaikwad is young enough to be part of CSK's future, and a difficult season does not erase his performances as the franchise's chosen successor. But CSK cannot afford to ignore a worrying decline because the alternative has been to stick with experienced players.
Samson represents something different: an experienced IPL captain, an international batter and a leader who has shown that they can perform for CSK with the bat.
Whether that will be enough for CSK to look towards another change of leadership remains to be seen.
But whatever happens, the decision ahead of IPL 2027 will say a great deal about what the future holds for the franchise.
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