IPL 2026 – ‘Allow them to make mistakes’: Ruturaj Gaikwad’s mantra for CSK’s youngsters

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad isn’t “forcing” himself to put his stamp on a new-look team, and hopes to create a nurturing environment for the youngsters who have taken over from the old guard.

In their opening game of IPL 2026, which was also their first ever in the absence of MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina, CSK handed out franchise debuts to five players, including Kartik Sharma, for whom they shelled out a record INR 14.20 crore at the auction.

“Not forcing it [captaincy], to be honest,” Gaikwad said on the eve of CSK’s first home game of the season against Punjab Kings in Chennai. “But, we didn’t have the best of squads last year. And when I say that, you know, no disrespect to any players. But, I think, the combination didn’t just click the way we wanted.

“Looking at this team now, it is a very young team. The excitement is there but at the same time, there’s a lot of difference between experienced players and inexperienced players. So, you have to allow them to make mistakes. You have to allow them to express themselves. You have to make sure that they are in a good headspace.”

CSK’s rookies failed the first test of the season, against Rajasthan Royals. They batted in Test-match style conditions after the Guwahati pitch spent considerable time under covers on match day as well as match eve. Gaikwad wasn’t too fussed about CSK’s opening-game setback and wanted the youngsters to embrace the pressures that the IPL brings.

“I mean, [there’s pressure to perform] from families, from the media, from team members, everyone [in the IPL],” Gaikwad said. “So to cope with that and to just get into that IPL performance mode, sometimes it takes time.

“You try and share your experience with them, [but] it should not make them cautious. It should not make them go into a negative frame of mind. Making their debut for a franchise like CSK – it’s a huge achievement for them. So, first thing is to enjoy it, embrace it and give your best, whatever it is there. If it happens, well and good; even if it does not happen, it is still a long journey for them. They’re still at the start of their careers. It’s just about managing what are their strengths, and just navigating them to be fearless and not have any doubts about it.”

Over the past few IPL seasons, both Stephen Fleming and Dhoni had expressed their displeasure with the conditions at Chepauk. The pitch stopped suiting their traditional strength – spin – and became a belter to bat on, as was the case during the recent T20 World Cup as well.

Friday’s fixture between CSK and PBKS is set to be played on the same black-soil pitch where 256 met 184 in the India-Zimbabwe game during the T20 World Cup in February. Gaikwad believed that CSK now have the personnel and squad depth to deal with whatever Chepauk throws at them.

“Regarding pitches, I feel a lot depends here on the weather,” Gaikwad said. “Whatever World Cup games happened, they happened in the month of February. So, not much of dew or forecast about rain or cloudy weather as well. So, I think with the best weather and best conditions… the Chennai wicket usually plays really well.

“But, at night, sometimes, if there is excessive dew and a bit more moisture in the wicket, it tends to change a bit, especially the second half of the innings. So, not really sure about how it will go this year. We have to adapt accordingly and we have seven games. So, hopefully, whatever the [nature of the] pitch, we will try to make use of it however we can.”

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