India, May 22 -- Ups and downs are an inevitable part of a professional cricketer's journey, but the way players respond to adversity and fight their way back often shapes how they are remembered in the game. Ruturaj Gaikwad currently finds himself in one of the toughest phases of his career, with growing scrutiny over both his batting and leadership credentials as the future captain of Chennai Super Kings after another underwhelming IPL campaign for the 29-year-old.

The criticism surrounding Gaikwad intensified following CSK's crucial clash against Shubman Gill-led Gujarat Titans on May 21 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. In a must-win encounter for playoff qualification, CSK endured a crushing 89-run defeat after failing to chase 230 and ...