Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming backed captain Ruturaj Gaikwad despite the team’s disappointing IPL 2026 campaign, dismissing speculation over his leadership future and insisting the opener remains the right long-term choice to lead the franchise.CSK’s playoff hopes suffered a major setback after a five-wicket defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday. Gaikwad endured another difficult outing with the bat, scoring just 15 runs off 21 balls without hitting a boundary.

His struggles this season have intensified discussions around his captaincy, especially amid growing speculation linking Sanju Samson with a possible leadership role in the future.Speaking after the match, Fleming admitted that Gaikwad has not produced runs at the pace expected from him at the top of the order. The CSK coach acknowledged that poor powerplay performances and the loss of early wickets had significantly hurt the team throughout the season.

However, he maintained that Gaikwad’s form issues were temporary and something the batter himself was aware of and working to improve.Fleming also pointed to the changing combinations within the batting unit, mentioning the inclusion of Urvil Patel as an aggressive option at the top. According to him, the team management would continue reviewing combinations and tactical approaches as part of the rebuilding process following a difficult campaign.

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Reflecting on the defeat against Hyderabad, Fleming said CSK’s total of 180 was more than competitive on a challenging pitch where the ball was gripping and holding up. He credited SRH’s seam bowlers for effectively using cutters and variations, while admitting Chennai’s bowling attack lacked similar impact during key moments of the chase.Addressing questions surrounding Gaikwad’s future as captain, Fleming strongly defended the young skipper and highlighted the scale of transition involved in succeeding MS Dhoni, widely regarded as one of the greatest captains in cricket history.

Fleming said replacing a leader like Dhoni was never going to be easy and insisted Gaikwad needed time to grow into the role.The former New Zealand captain also praised Gaikwad’s standing within the dressing room, saying he enjoys significant respect from teammates and continues to improve as a leader. Fleming admitted CSK had made mistakes during the season but stressed that the franchise was also building for the future by identifying new players and developing a refreshed squad structure.

While CSK remain on the verge of missing the IPL 2026 playoffs, Fleming’s comments appeared to send a clear message that the franchise is not yet considering a leadership change. His public backing of Gaikwad is likely to calm speculation around the captaincy, at least in the immediate future, as Chennai prepare for a broader transition phase after years of success under Dhoni.

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