Former Indian batter Subramaniam Badrinath has urged Chennai Super Kings to remain patient with their skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad after the team’s 32-run win against Kolkata Knight Riders at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Tuesday.
Many experts think that CSK should drop out-of-form Gaikwad to bring in Urvil Patel. On Tuesday, the CSK skipper was dismissed after scoring seven runs off six balls against KKR. Gaikwad has managed only 63 runs in five matches of IPL 2026 and has failed to lead from the front.
However, Badrinath highlighted Gaikwad’s captaincy is slowly improving as CSK have won their last two games after losing their first three matches.
Badrinath said on his YouTube Channel, “Many are urging CSK to drop Ruturaj Gaikwad for Urvil Patel. But CSK shouldn’t do that, as Ruturaj’s captaincy is slowly getting better.”
The former CSK batter urged the franchise to continue backing Gaikwad at the top of the order and added Ayush Mhatre should bat at his usual position of number three as he is doing a fine job. Mhatre scored a blistering knock of 38 runs off just 17 balls against KKR. In the last game against Delhi Capitals, Mhatre scored an impressive knock of 59 runs off 36 balls.
“Many are saying Ruturaj should bat at 3 with Mhatre and Samson opening. But Mhatre is batting brilliantly at 3. Why do you want to disturb that? It would be like changing a thing that’s going well, considering Mhatre has been brilliant in the last two games at No.3. I will stick with this because Mhatre is playing well at 3.”
The former Tamil Nadu batter reckons the real concern for CSK is their finishing. CSK could only manage 28 runs in the last four overs against KKR.
“Despite Ruturaj Gaikwad’s poor form, the overall top three as a whole are doing well. So that’s not a concern. If anything, the real concern for CSK is their finishing with the bat. Even in this game, they scored at only seven per over in the last four overs. That’s where the real concern lies,” said Badrinath (via the aforementioned source).
“Dube keeps trying the same shots, and nothing is finding the middle. Overton is much the same and one-dimensional. None of the batters seems to disrupt a bowler’s yorker plans. Even in the last match, Samson was there till the end, and hence the runs came in the death phase.”
Chennai Super Kings will next take on Sunrisers Hyderabad at Hyderabad on Saturday.
