Chennai Super Kings, following its five-wicket loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday, is on the brink of failing to qualify for the playoffs for a third straight year. While there were quite a few shortcomings, the franchise’s main concern in IPL 2026 has been the indifferent form of skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Though the 29-year-old is the side’s second-highest scorer (321 runs), he has been inconsistent with just two half-centuries in 13 innings.

His staid approach in the first six overs feels like an anachronism at a time when others are refining and redefining PowerPlay batting. It is reflected in his strike rate of 120.68, the lowest among batters with more than 200 runs.

His intent-less 21-ball 15 against Sunrisers, during which he failed to hit a single boundary despite batting till the 12th over, showed the extent of his struggles.

And this was not even the first time he had struggled in the Power(less)Play. Against Delhi Capitals in Chennai, he managed 15 off 17 with one boundary in the first six overs, even as Sanju Samson at the other end managed 45 off the other 19 deliveries.

The captain’s form was not lost on head coach Stephen Fleming either, who said: “I think Ruturaj can do more. He hasn’t produced the quantity of runs and the pace of runs that he’s done in his career. And that’s something that he will address.”

Even as a leader on the field, Ruturaj is a work in progress. His handling of spinners since taking over in 2024 has left much to be desired. The fact that he didn’t let left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein complete his quota against SRH, despite going for just one for 21 in three overs, was an example of his reluctance to trust the strike bowler.

While CSK’s fate is not in its hands even if it wins its final league game against Gujarat Titans on Thursday, Ruturaj will quickly need to reinvent both as a batter and a captain.