CSK Confirm Ruturaj Gaikwad, Not Sanju Samson, As Skipper For 2026 Season

On the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) retention deadline day, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) officially confirmed that Ruturaj Gaikwad will continue as their captain, shutting down widespread speculation that Sanju Samson might take the reins since he successfully captained Rajasthan Royals (RR) for a long time. 

Samson recently moved to CSK in a blockbuster trade from RR, and many had expected him to be handed leadership in his first season with the franchise. But in a social media post, the Super Kings clarified that Gaikwad, who initially became captain in 2024 but missed part of the 2025 season through injury, will remain at the helm of the side that would also have MS Dhoni featuring in the 2026 season. 

Earlier, CSK had tried to play down rumours about the Samson trade through a light-hearted video featuring CEO Kasi Viswanathan and the team mascot. In the clip, Viswanathan asked fans not to take transfer speculations seriously unless they were officially announced by the franchise.

Following a challenging 2025 season in which CSK struggled, this decision signals CSK’s intent to maintain stability in leadership while integrating Samson into their long-term plans. 

CSK’s retention list for 2026: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson (traded from RR), MS Dhoni, Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre, Urvil Patel, Shivam Dube, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Choudhary, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Nathan Ellis, Anshul Kamboj, Jamie Overton, Gurjapneet Singh, Noor Ahmed and Shreyas Gopal.