The debate over Ruturaj Gaikwad and Chennai Super Kings’ leadership has intensified ahead of IPL 2027, with former India opener Sadagoppan Ramesh becoming the latest ex-cricketer to call for a change. Ramesh believes Sanju Samson should be seriously considered for the CSK captaincy, arguing that the former Rajasthan Royals skipper already has the leadership experience and team-first approach required to take charge of the five-time champions.

“Sanju Samson should be considered as captain because he’s such a fantastic team player,” Ramesh said, adding that if Chennai decide to make a change, Samson should be one of their leading options. The comments arrive after another difficult season for CSK. The franchise missed the IPL playoffs for a third consecutive year in 2026, while Gaikwad’s form and leadership both came under scrutiny.

The question now is becoming harder to avoid: Should Chennai continue backing Gaikwad, or hand the IPL captain role to an experienced leader already inside their dressing room?

Ruturaj Gaikwad Captaincy Comes Under Fresh Scrutiny

The latest criticism comes from Sadagoppan Ramesh, but he is far from the first former player to question the current arrangement. Ramesh pointed specifically to Samson’s record as Rajasthan Royals captain. Samson led Rajasthan in 66 IPL matches and won 33, giving him a 50% win rate. Under his leadership, Rajasthan reached the 2022 IPL final and made another playoff appearance. That experience, Ramesh argues, gives him an advantage if CSK decide they need a different voice after three seasons outside the top four. The debate is especially significant because Chennai historically built their success around stability.

MS Dhoni led the franchise for most of its existence and captained CSK to five IPL titles. Replacing that level of leadership was always going to be difficult. Gaikwad inherited one of the toughest jobs in the league.

Why Former CSK Players Are Backing Sanju Samson

Former CSK batter Subramaniam Badrinath has been even more direct. In May, Badrinath argued that Gaikwad should no longer lead the team and said Sanju Samson was the better captaincy option. His argument was not that Gaikwad lacks value. It was almost the opposite. Badrinath believes Gaikwad is too important as a batter for Chennai to allow the pressures of captaincy to damage his primary role.

That concern grew during IPL 2026. Gaikwad finished the season with 337 runs at an average of 28.08, while his powerplay scoring rate was among the weakest for regular top-order batters. At times, his batting appeared unusually cautious. Former players repeatedly questioned whether the burden of succeeding Dhoni was affecting his natural game.

Manoj Tiwary Also Called for a Rethink

Former India batter Manoj Tiwary raised similar concerns during the season. After Chennai’s defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad in May, Tiwary suggested that the franchise might need to reconsider its leadership structure regardless of where it eventually finished. He specifically identified Samson as someone who could take over in 2027. Tiwary’s point was partly based on contrast. Gaikwad was struggling to find fluency with the bat, while Samson had already demonstrated that he could handle both captaincy and top-order responsibility during his years with Rajasthan. That distinction has become central to the wider debate.

Gaikwad and Samson Were Already Chennai’s Opening Pair

Before IPL 2026 began, Gaikwad confirmed that he and Samson would open the batting together. That partnership symbolised CSK’s attempt to blend continuity with change: Gaikwad remained captain, while Samson arrived as one of the league’s most experienced wicketkeeper-batters and former skippers. During the season, Gaikwad publicly praised Samson after a match-winning innings against Delhi Capitals and called him the “backbone” of Chennai’s batting. That matters because the captaincy debate should not automatically be framed as a personal rivalry. There is little public evidence of tension between the two players. The debate is being driven largely by former cricketers and commentators looking at team results.

Samson Himself Did Not Demand the Captaincy

Another piece of context often missing from the debate is Samson’s own position. Earlier in the season, he pushed back against speculation that he should arrive at CSK and immediately demand the captaincy. Samson said that when joining a new team, he did not believe he should enter with such demands and indicated respect for Gaikwad’s role. That makes the current calls for change very different from a player-led challenge. There is no public indication that Samson is lobbying to replace Gaikwad. The pressure is external.

Not Everyone Thinks CSK Should Change Captain

There has also been a strong argument for patience. Former CSK batter Robin Uthappa backed Gaikwad before IPL 2026 and argued that Chennai should not rush into replacing him simply because Samson had joined the squad. Uthappa said the franchise needed to give Gaikwad time to grow into the role rather than immediately changing direction. That view fits CSK’s traditional philosophy. The franchise has historically preferred continuity over constant leadership changes.

Gaikwad is also still one of Chennai’s most important long-term players. Removing the captaincy after a difficult period could help his batting. But it could also undermine a leadership project the franchise has spent several seasons building.

Why IPL 2026 Changed the Conversation

The problem for Gaikwad is that results are becoming harder to ignore. CSK missed the playoffs in 2024, 2025 and 2026. In 2026, they managed only six wins from 14 league matches and finished eighth. That third consecutive playoff failure marked a major change for a franchise that spent much of the Dhoni era treating qualification for the knockout stage almost as routine. The poor run has already produced one enormous change.

Long-time head coach Stephen Fleming stepped down in July after 18 years in charge, ending one of the longest and most successful coach-franchise relationships in IPL history.

CSK therefore enter IPL 2027 facing two major leadership questions at once: Who coaches the team? And who captains it?

What Happens Next With the CSK Captaincy?

Nothing has been officially announced. CSK have not said they are removing Ruturaj Gaikwad as captain. Nor have they publicly named Samson as their leader for IPL 2027. The strongest current evidence is therefore still commentary from former players rather than a franchise decision. But the situation is different from ordinary off-season speculation. Chennai have missed three consecutive playoffs.

Fleming has already left. A proven former IPL captain is already inside the squad. And several former India and CSK players are now independently making the same argument. That puts genuine pressure on the franchise to at least review the CSK captaincy before next season.

Should Sanju Samson Replace Ruturaj Gaikwad?

There is a credible case on both sides. Keeping Gaikwad would preserve continuity and give a talented young leader more time to develop. Changing captain could remove pressure from his batting and immediately give CSK an experienced leader in Samson. What Chennai should not do is confuse loyalty with avoiding difficult decisions.

The post-Dhoni transition was always going to require patience. But after three seasons outside the playoffs, patience now has to be weighed against results.

For the moment, Ruturaj Gaikwad remains the CSK captain. The question is whether that sentence will still be true when Chennai begin IPL 2027. And with Sanju Samson already wearing yellow, CSK do not have to look very far if they decide the answer should be no.