# Ex-India Batter Sadagoppan Ramesh Wants Sanju Samson, Not Ruturaj Gaikwad, to Lead Chennai Super Kings > Former India batter Sadagoppan Ramesh has suggested Chennai Super Kings hand the captaincy to Sanju Samson instead of Ruturaj Gaikwad, pointing to Samson's 50 percent success rate as an IPL captain. **Type:** article · **Category:** Cricket · **Published:** 2026-09-05 · **Source:** TrendKia **Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/cricket/purva-bharatiya-ballebaja-sadagoppan-ramesh-ki-raya-ruturaj-nahin-sanju-samson-banen-chennai-super-kings-ke-kaptana-28138 · **Language:** English **Tags:** Chennai Super Kings, Sanju Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad, IPL 2027, Sadagoppan Ramesh, Rajasthan Royals, IPL captaincy Chennai Super Kings are counted among the most successful franchises in IPL history, yet the trophy cabinet has stayed shut since 2021. Since that title triumph, the side has failed to even reach the playoffs, and the slide has continued season after season. Last time out, playing under Ruturaj Gaikwad's captaincy, Chennai finished seventh on the table. With IPL 2027 drawing closer, the franchise's management is now weighing several major calls about the squad's direction, and former India opener Sadagoppan Ramesh has stepped in with a pointed suggestion of his own: it is time to make Sanju Samson the captain. ## Ramesh's case for a captaincy change Ramesh feels Chennai Super Kings must seriously examine handing the leadership to Samson before the next season gets underway. In his view, the franchise is already running through its options at the top and asking itself whether change is even necessary at this stage. He argued that Samson deserves to be seen as captaincy material precisely because of the kind of team player he is. "CSK's captaincy should change, and if it does, CSK must seriously think about Sanju Samson," Ramesh said. ## Samson's journey from Rajasthan to Chennai Samson had been leading Rajasthan Royals for several seasons before he moved to Chennai Super Kings ahead of IPL 2026. His opening few outings for the new franchise did not go particularly well, but he found his form soon after and produced a string of match-winning innings as the season progressed. Chennai still could not force their way into the playoffs, yet Samson still ended the campaign as the franchise's highest run-scorer. Because he had captained Rajasthan Royals for years, his switch to Chennai immediately triggered speculation that the franchise could eventually hand him the leadership role. The team management, however, chose to persist with Ruturaj Gaikwad instead. ## What Samson's leadership record shows Ramesh backed his argument with Samson's captaincy numbers from across the IPL. Samson has led teams in 66 IPL matches so far, winning 33 of them, which works out to a success rate of 50 percent. Rajasthan Royals performed strongly whenever he was in charge, reaching one final and making it into the playoffs on another occasion under his leadership. Ramesh was quick to add that Chennai Super Kings need to fix far more than just the captaincy, and that installing Samson alone will not hand them a trophy. Even so, he insisted that if the franchise does decide to change its captain, Samson has to be given serious consideration for the role. Whether Chennai Super Kings act on that advice remains to be seen, but the suggestion has added fresh fuel to the debate over who should lead the side into IPL 2027. ## What this means for you This is not just a commentary-box debate, it could shape Chennai Super Kings' strategy and Sanju Samson's own market value heading into IPL 2027. - **For fans:** If CSK genuinely considers a captaincy change, next season's team strategy and line-up could see a major shake-up, so supporters should watch the franchise's official announcements closely. - **For fantasy sports:** A captaincy switch directly affects captain and vice-captain picks in fantasy platforms, since a new leader's role and responsibilities on the field would change. - **For Samson's career:** Being handed the leadership could boost his market value and brand endorsements, a factor tied directly to player earnings. - **For team management:** The debate signals that CSK may need to rework much more than just the captaincy before the next season begins. ## Questions & Answers ### 1. When did Chennai Super Kings last win the IPL title? Chennai Super Kings last won the IPL title in 2021. ### 2. Where did Chennai Super Kings finish last season? Under Ruturaj Gaikwad's captaincy, the team finished seventh on the points table. ### 3. When did Sanju Samson join Chennai Super Kings? He moved from Rajasthan Royals to Chennai Super Kings ahead of the IPL 2026 season. ### 4. What is Samson's captaincy record in the IPL? He has captained in 66 matches, winning 33, giving him a 50 percent success rate. ### 5. Who made this suggestion? Former India batter Sadagoppan Ramesh made the suggestion. ### 6. Has Chennai Super Kings decided to change its captain? No, the management is currently only weighing several options, and no official decision has been announced. --- _TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.. Machine-readable view; canonical HTML at the URL above._