Former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan runs a scrutiny on CSK’s current squad and identifies their woes as the ones that are obvious for franchises undergoing a major phase of transition. He also reflected on the void in the field marked by MS Dhoni’s absence.
CSK has been one of the most disappointing franchises over the past two seasons in the IPL. They have lost more matches than any other franchise since their last triumph in 2023, the last official season under MS Dhoni’s captaincy.
However, the concern has not solely been the poor captaincy from Ruturaj Gaikwad; the lack of in-form players has also resulted in CSK’s massive downfall. However, they worked hard and revamped their side for the better in the IPL 2026 mini-auction.
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Head coach Stephen Fleming is also feeling the heat in MS Dhoni’s absence – Zaheer Khan
After two consecutive losses in the IPL, former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan has pointed out that the CSK team will take some time to settle down as they are moving in a new direction. He also stressed the fact that even the calmest of coaches, Stephen Fleming, has looked a stressed figure in that dugout.
“This is going to be a massive test for Ruturaj Gaikwad this season. He is leading a franchise that has achieved so much. MS Dhoni not being there is also a huge factor. We can see this team heading into a new direction. So, there will be a bit of up-and-down.
“To replicate what MS Dhoni brings, when he is not on the field, that will always be tough to replicate. Even if you look at their last match, even the coach was looking really worried because somewhere along the line, he knows that this is a transitional phase. So, he is trying hard to find a way to find the spark,” Zaheer Khan said on Cricbuzz.
“Sanju is also looking for form,” Zaheer is disappointed with the Indian batter
After having backed the CSK in this phase of transition, Zaheer pointed out how CSK’s trump card this season, Sanju Samson, has been unable to translate the same kind of form for his new franchise, as the batter has struggled with only 13 runs in his first 2 outings.
“There were a lot of expectations from Sanju Samson after his three knocks in the World Cup. The expectation was that once he dons the yellow jersey, it will continue, and he will shine like gold. But even he is trying to find his form.
“If he gets into form, Shivam Dube steps up to the expectation, and Ayush Mhatre continues his run, then you can see a different CSK. The journey has been difficult so far, but how will they respond? That we will get to see against RCB,” Zaheer Khan added.
Ruturaj Gaikwad has looked clueless without the shadow of MS Dhoni
The Chennai Super Kings started their campaign with a massive thrashing from the Rajasthan Royals, who restricted them to the lowest total of this year’s TATA IPL. The five-time champions started another season with two consecutive losses, as they lost their second game to the Punjab Kings in a massive 200+ run chase.
CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad had the opportunity to show his calibre as a captain, as he could lead CSK for the first time in the absence of MS Dhoni. However, the captain has looked completely clueless in the absence of the former skipper.
MS Dhoni’s legacy for CSK is unfair to compare with any young cricketer; however, Gaikwad had failed miserably at getting the best out of his players. It is very evident that Ruturaj is subjected to acute pressure.
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