New Delhi: Former India spinner R Ashwin believes Sanju Samson will eventually take over from Ruturaj Gaikwad as the captain of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). While he maintained he doesn’t know when the change will happen, Ashwin insisted it is only a matter of time till Samson is leading the five-time champions.
Gaikwad was appointed as CSK’s full-time captain ahead of IPL 2024, taking over from the legendary MS Dhoni. In his debut season as captain, CSK closely missed out on a spot in the playoffs, but have since endured a difficult run. The five-time champions finished at the bottom of the table last season and lost three matches in a row at the start of IPL 2026, before clinching back-to-back victories to get their campaign back on track.
Gaikwad was expected to carry Dhoni’s legacy forward as CSK captain, but has failed to emerge from the shadows of the legendary wicket-keeper batter. While his leadership credentials have been questioned on several occasions, Gaikwad’s performances with the bat have also dipped in IPL 2026 amid captaincy pressure.
CSK traded Samson from the Rajasthan Royals in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran ahead of the ongoing IPL 2026. Many believe the franchise sees Samson as a future successor to Dhoni. Ashwin also feels Samson is the heir-apparent to Dhoni and is guaranteed to replace Gaikwad as captain in future.
“I do see Samson captaining CSK at some stage. Don’t know when, but I do see that happening. Whether we agree or not, a lot of these things do happen with respect to narratives,” said Ashwin on his YouTube channel.
“But I don’t want Sanju to step into anybody’s shoes. You don’t really have to step into anybody’s legacy. He’s got his own unique clothing, which he lives under, and I would like to see his own imprint on it,” he added.
Ruturaj Gaikwad’s captaincy record for CSK in IPL
Gaikwad’s captaincy record for CSK in the IPL is far from impressive. He has managed only 10 wins in 24 matches as captain, while losing 14 games and has a win percentage of 41.66. Gaikwad lost seven consecutive matches as captain in the IPL after CSK’s poor start to IPL 2026. CSK snapped the losing streak after beating Delhi Capitals at home earlier this season.
Ashwin explains why Samson will make a good captain for CSK
While Ashwin refused to compare Gaikwad and Samson as captains, he explained why the former Rajasthan Royals captain is a great leader. Ashwin feels what makes Samson different is his ability to be open to feedback regarding his leadership and his humane touch with his teammates, which allows him to get the best out of his players.
“Him (Samson) being in a good space allows him to make good calls. He’s had very good days, he’s had ordinary days as well. But the one thing that Sanju does, which I haven’t seen in many leaders, is he is able to take feedback. The second thing that he is good is that he has a humane connection. He would be able to have conversations with players that can be very personal,” said Ashwin.