Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has been at the centre of attention amid CSK’s struggles in this Indian Premier League season. Gaikwad, who took over the captaincy from five-time championship-winning skipper MS Dhoni, has found it difficult to make a major impact so far, even struggling to lead from the front as a top-order batter in this relatively young CSK batting unit.
CSK, who currently sit 8th on the table, have revived their chances of qualification after a statement 32-run win against a struggling Kolkata Knight Riders side on Tuesday, 14th April. The team posted a competitive 192 on the board, with contributions from the middle order batters, Ayush Mhatre’s 38 and the returning Dewald Brevis’s 41, capitalising on a strong start provided by star opener Sanju Samson, who nearly missed his half-century.
Despite Gaikwad’s continued struggles with the bat this season, a few on-field decisions during CSK’s bowling effort in the second innings caught the eye and earned praise from experts.
Former Indian leg-spinner and JioStar expert Piyush Chawla, speaking on Star Sports, highlighted Gaikwad’s leadership skills and tactical awareness. His ability to read match situations and make clear decision calls stood out. This came during a key phase when KKR’s skipper Ajinkya Rahane opted to promote veteran Sunil Naraine to open alongside Finn Allen.
“Akeal Hosein did not come to bowl in the first six overs because KKR sent Sunil Narine to open, hoping to exploit Akeal. But Ruturaj was smart. As soon as he saw Narine coming out to open, he used Khaleel Ahmed and Anshul Kamboj with the new ball. That was a really good piece of captaincy because both bowlers got rid of KKR’s opening pair of Finn Allen and Narine. As soon as Narine was dismissed, Akeal Hosein was brought into the attack, and he did his job brilliantly. The way Ruturaj rotated his bowlers was really good to watch,” said Chawla.
Ruturaj Gaikwad praised for his captaincy
Narine, who began his career primarily as a spinner, has evolved into a key asset for KKR, especially with his versatility as an opener over the years. His standout contribution came during their 2024 championship run, where he scored 488 runs. Gaikwad’s awareness of Naraine’s effectiveness against spin proved crucial, as he opted to delay introducing Akeal Hosein and instead attacked with pace during the powerplay overs.
The move paid off immediately, with Khaleel Ahmed and Anshul Kamboj striking early to dismiss Narine for 24 and Allen for just 1, putting KKR under pressure.
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Such proactive decisions, based on assessing the match conditions and the opposition's strategy, also drew further praise from Chawla, who pointed to a shift in Ruturaj Gaikwad’s mindset and approach to captaincy, from being reactive to being assertive.
“He was just going for the kill, and that is what you want from your Captain. As a Captain, your thought process should be to go for the kill because when you are taking wickets, you are building pressure on the batting team. When Noor Ahmad and Akeal Hosein were bowling together, Ruturaj made sure the game did not go too deep. He just wanted to finish it off soon, and that is exactly what he did,” added Chawla.