Ravichandran Ashwin Believes in leadership pressure. Chennai Super Kings The change is starting to take effect in the difficult post-MS Dhoni period. Rituraj GaikwadBatting, after yet another disappointing outing for the CSK skipper in IPL 2026. Speaking on JioHotstar after Chennai’s five-wicket loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chepauk, Ashwin said the franchise is going through a rebuilding phase and warned that expectations around CSK are unrealistically high given the standards set during Dhoni’s tenure. “Chennai Super Kings are clearly in a transition phase in the post-Dhoni era. It is 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 it evolves.” Ashwin’s comments came after another difficult innings from Gaikwad, who struggled for rhythm during Chennai’s innings and managed just 15 off 21 balls before falling. Pat Cummins. On a surface where timing was tight but aggressive strokeplay was still possible, the CSK skipper once again looked out of place while other batsmen around him scored at a blistering pace. Ashwin felt that the added responsibility of captaincy now weighed heavily on Gaikwad’s natural batting game. “At the same time, the added responsibility of captaincy has affected Rutoraj Gaekwad’s batting. T20 cricket is already demanding, and shouldering the burden of leadership along with the expectations of a franchise like CSK can have a significant impact on a player,” added Ashwin. The defeat left Chennai’s playoff hopes hanging by a thread while SRH officially qualified for the IPL 2026 playoffs. Hyderabad chased down 181 in 19 overs with Ishan Kishan scoring 70 off 47 balls, while Henrik Klaasen provided the momentum with a blistering 47.
Which aspect of CSK’s game needs improvement the most?
Earlier, CSK posted 180/7 after positive contributions from Sanju Samson, youngster Karthik Sharma and Devild Brews, who top-scored with 44. But Gaikwad’s slow innings once again became a major talking point as Chennai failed to take full advantage of their strong start. Cummins did the job with the ball for Hyderabad, finishing with figures of 3/28 and becoming only the latest bowler to complete 200 T20 wickets. Young pacers Saqib Hussain and Parful Hinge picked up two wickets each as SRH tightened their grip on the contest.
