Ruturaj Gaikwad is under mounting pressure in the ongoing IPL season as runs continue to elude him, with Chennai Super Kings enduring a mixed campaign, losing three of their first five matches. In the absence of MS Dhoni, the spotlight has firmly shifted onto Gaikwad, and it seems to be affecting both his batting and his on-field calls. He has managed just 63 runs in five outings, striking at a modest 105.00, numbers that have raised concerns about his role at the top. With his struggles continuing, there are growing calls to rethink the opening combination, with some suggesting Ayush Mhatre be given a chance alongside Sanju Samson to provide more intent early on.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan weighed in on Gaikwad’s struggles this season, pointing out concerns over his strike rate and approach at the top. He suggested a tactical shift in the batting order, questioning whether Gaikwad’s current role is best suited.
“There will be eyes on Ruturaj. He is playing at a strike rate of 100. If you want to maintain that, the runs will come. But the approach is wrong and where he is playing is wrong. If you are opening, you need to have some aggression. If you want to play the same way, then drop to number three and let Mhatre open, that will be a better option,” he said on his YouTube channel.
Meanwhile, Chennai next face Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday night in an away fixture, with the hosts riding high on confidence after a solid win over Rajasthan Royals, where debutants Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain impressed with four-wicket hauls each to keep a dangerous batting line-up in check.
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“Sanju Samson versus Praful and Sakib a brilliant match-up”
Building on his earlier point, Pathan also looked ahead to the key battles in the upcoming clash, highlighting the intriguing contest between Sanju Samson and the young SRH pacers, while stressing the responsibility on the in-form CSK opener to take charge.
“Sanju Samson versus Praful and Sakib will be a brilliant match-up. Even against Gaikwad it will be a good match-up. These two young pacers, who bowled well in the last match, can they push their lengths a little further up? This will be interesting to see. I expect they can make these adjustments as they have the experience of first-class. I would also want to see how Sanju attacks these two. There is a lot of responsibility on him, and how he will run the game,” he added.