IPL 2026: 'I think Ruturaj can do more' Fleming on CSK skipper after loss against SRH

Ruturaj Gaikwad (Pic: AFP)

Chennai Super Kings saw their playoff hopes take a major hit after suffering a home defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai.

CSK's opening batters struggled during the powerplay, with captain Ruturaj Gaikwad scoring 18 runs off 21 balls. SRH chased down the target of 181 with five wickets to spare to confirm their qualification for the playoffs.

Following CSK's five-wicket loss to SRH on Monday, head coach Stephen Fleming said Gaikwad still has areas to improve both as a batter and as captain after a disappointing campaign.

"I think Ruturaj can do more. He has done more in the past and has been a fine player at the top. He hasn't produced the quantity of runs and pace of runs this season that he has done in his career - that's something that he will address," Fleming said.

Fleming also stressed that Gaikwad's captaincy marks a significant transition period for the franchise after MS Dhoni stepped down from the leadership role.

"It's a big transition from having one of the best captains in cricket running the franchise for such a long time to a new captain, so it's going to take a little bit of time. He has a massive amount of respect for this group of players, and he's learning all the time and putting that into play. Going forward, I have no doubt he will be a fine captain for this franchise," he added.

Gaikwad proud of team despite defeat

CSK skipper Gaikwad said he was proud of his team's efforts despite the defeat against SRH.

The Indian batter added that injuries and replacements affected CSK's campaign but remained optimistic about the positives from the season.

"Good game of cricket. We were in the game until the second-last over. It was a good T20 pitch and didn't change over the course of the game. We just missed out on a few moments and could have cashed in on opportunities better. Still, given the team we had and the limited squad, I'm proud and feel we did well. There are a lot of positives, to be honest," Gaikwad said after the match.

(With ANI inputs)