Ruturaj Gaikwad has endured a difficult start to the season, managing just 63 runs, averaging just 12.60 with three single-digit scores and a venture beyond the 20s. His partner Sanju Samson suffered similar returns before a sublime unbeaten hundred at Chepauk turned the tide.
Ayush Mhatre at No. 3, meanwhile, has effortlessly accumulated 171 runs, including two fifties, at an average of 34.20, striking at 170 in the PowerPlay. The youngster successfully stepped into an injured Ruturaj’s shoes last season.
That, coupled with the CSK skipper’s dwindling returns, has fanned the whispers calling for a reshuffle at the top for the five-time champion, but head coach Stephen Fleming remains unconvinced.
“He hasn’t had the returns that he would like, but that can be the nature of T20. We’ve seen over the years that he’s a quality player. If we can cover for him for a few games and he comes into form… Very rarely someone dominates the whole way.”
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Sunrisers Hyderabad’s charged-up bowling pool lineup will hope to make that task harder for the Super Kings. Fleming was left impressed by the team’s resilience against Rajasthan Royals.
“SRH fought back really well to give themselves a chance against RR. We’d love to have Hyderabad in that situation, but it’ll take a lot of work. Their top order is dynamic. How we deal with that will be one of the key components, because they can take the game away from you very quickly.”
M.S. Dhoni’s availability remains a mystery, with a tight-lipped Fleming saying he is “happy with Dhoni’s recovery.”
Published on Apr 17, 2026
