Manoj Tiwary Doubts Ruturaj Gaikwad’s Form and Points to Sanju Samson as CSK Captain

Manoj Tiwary has questioned whether Ruturaj Gaikwad can carry on MS Dhoni’s legacy as Chennai Super Kings captain, after CSK lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad at Chepauk on Monday, 18 May. He sees Sanju Samson as a possible leader for 2027.

Concerns over Gaikwad

Batting first, Gaikwad scored 15 off 21 balls as CSK reached 180 for 7. Tiwary called that below the standard expected of a captain and suggested the burden of leadership has hurt Gaikwad’s batting. His season total is 321 runs from 13 matches at a strike rate of 120.67.

On Cricbuzz, Tiwary said Gaikwad should concentrate on building his own identity rather than being measured against Dhoni, and that a captain has to lead through steady performances. He added that Gaikwad looks short of fluency and needs to rethink his approach for coming seasons.

The Samson case

Samson has had an impressive first season at CSK, scoring 477 runs at a strike rate of 166.20, including centuries against Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians. Tiwary highlighted his earlier captaincy experience with Rajasthan Royals and suggested CSK could seriously consider a change, depending on their plans for next season.

Season finale

Tiwary conceded that CSK have shown they can win without Dhoni on the field, though he said nobody can fully replace his influence. The five-time champions finish their campaign against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on 21 May, with slim playoff hopes that rely on other results.