India, April 4 -- Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad finds himself under growing scrutiny after Chennai Super Kings opened their campaign with back-to-back defeats, with the skipper yet to make a meaningful impact with the bat. After ending the previous season at the bottom of the table, CSK came into the Indian Premier League 2026 carrying the weight of expectations to bounce back strongly. However, the early signs haven't been promising. The bowling attack has looked ineffective and struggled to pick up wickets at key moments, while the much-anticipated opening partnership of Gaikwad and Sanju Samson has failed to click so far, adding to the team's concerns.

The arrival of Samson via a trade deal raised plenty of expectations, with the former Raj...