Chennai Super Kings have announced that Ruturaj Gaikwad will continue to lead the team in the upcoming Indian Premier League 2026 season. Gaikwad had taken over the captaincy in the 2024 season but had to pass it on to M.S. Dhoni in the middle of the 2025 season due to an injury.
There were speculations that CSK might opt for Sanju Samson as the captain after trading in him for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. However, following the player retention deadline, it was confirmed that Gaikwad will be leading the team once again.
Gaikwad’s last notable performance was in an unofficial one-day match between India-A and South Africa-A, where he scored a match-winning 117 runs off 129 balls. This impressive display likely played a role in CSK’s decision to entrust him with the captaincy for the upcoming season.
The confirmation of Gaikwad as the captain for IPL 2026 comes as a vote of confidence in his leadership abilities and his potential to guide the team to success. Fans will be eagerly anticipating his performance both as a player and as a captain in the upcoming season.
The news was published on November 15, 2025, marking an important development for CSK and their plans for the upcoming IPL season.
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