Ravichandran Ashwin believes the pressure of leading Chennai Super Kings during the difficult post-MS Dhoni transition has started affecting Ruturaj Gaikwad’s batting, following another disappointing outing for the CSK skipper in IPL 2026. Speaking on JioHotstar after Chennai’s five-wicket defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad at Chepauk, Ashwin said the franchise is going through a rebuilding phase and warned that expectations around CSK remain unrealistically high because of the standards set during the Dhoni era. “Chennai Super Kings are clearly in a transition phase in the post-Dhoni era. It’s important for everyone involved—fans, stakeholders, and the team—to recognize that rebuilding takes time,” Ashwin said. “The standards and expectations associated with CSK are incredibly high because of their legacy, but this group needs space and patience as they evolve.” Ashwin’s comments came after another difficult innings from Gaikwad, who struggled for rhythm during Chennai’s innings and managed only 15 runs off 21 balls before falling to Pat Cummins. On a surface where timing was challenging but aggressive strokeplay was still possible, the CSK captain once again looked short of fluency while other batters around him scored at a far quicker rate. Ashwin felt the added responsibility of captaincy may now be weighing heavily on Gaikwad’s natural batting game. “At the same time, the added responsibility of captaincy seems to have affected Ruturaj Gaikwad’s batting. T20 cricket is already demanding, and carrying the burden of leadership alongside expectations from a franchise like CSK can have a significant impact on a player,” Ashwin added. The defeat left Chennai’s playoff hopes hanging by a thread while SRH officially secured qualification for the IPL 2026 playoffs. Hyderabad chased down 181 in 19 overs with Ishan Kishan leading the charge through a composed 70 off 47 balls, while Heinrich Klaasen provided momentum with a rapid 47. The victory took SRH to 16 points from 13 matches and confirmed their place in the playoffs alongside Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans. Earlier, CSK posted 180/7 after positive contributions from Sanju Samson, youngster Kartik Sharma and Dewald Brevis, who top-scored with 44. But Gaikwad’s slow innings once again became a major talking point as Chennai failed to fully capitalise on their strong start. Cummins starred with the ball for Hyderabad, finishing with figures of 3/28 and also becoming only the latest bowler to complete 200 T20 wickets. Young pacers Sakib Husain and Praful Hinge chipped in with two wickets each as SRH tightened their grip on the contest.
