Former India cricketer and ex-Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Subramaniam Badrinath has questioned the franchise management’s decision to appoint Ruturaj Gaikwad as captain of the team in 2024.
CSK has endured a disappointing campaign in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 and is currently on the verge of elimination from the playoff race. Following the team’s struggles, Badrinath openly criticized the franchise’s captaincy decision and also raised doubts over whether MS Dhoni actually wanted Gaikwad to become his successor.
Badrinath questions CSK management over captaincy decision
Speaking about the leadership change, Badrinath said the responsibility for appointing Gaikwad should fall entirely on the management and not Dhoni.
"Nobody knows whether it's true that MS Dhoni wanted Ruturaj Gaikwad to become the captain. This decision cannot come on Dhoni in any way. It had to be the management's decision. Dhoni could have only given a suggestion. So the management must only take responsibility for this," Badrinath said.
The former CSK batter further claimed that if Dhoni had any involvement in the process, he would have preferred Ravindra Jadeja as the next captain of the franchise.
"Knowing Dhoni, if at all he had any say in this, he would have suggested Ravindra Jadeja only as the next captain," he added.
CSK’s disappointing IPL 2026 campaign under Gaikwad
Chennai Super Kings have struggled badly for consistency throughout IPL 2026 and currently have only a slim mathematical chance of qualifying for the playoffs.
Under Gaikwad’s leadership, CSK have failed to deliver the dominant performances fans have come to expect from the five-time champions. The franchise has also faced criticism over its squad planning and player recruitment during the season.
Badrinath was particularly critical of CSK’s overall “process” under the new leadership setup and suggested that several player signings failed to make the expected impact.
With the season nearing its end, the pressure on CSK management continues to grow as questions surrounding leadership and squad decisions dominate discussions around the franchise.