The mystery around the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opening slot has finally been sorted. Despite having multiple options, especially after the much-awaited arrival of Sanju Samson in the yellow, CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has namedropped the opening combination ahead of IPL 2026.
After a year of constant chopping and changing at the top, the five-time champions have settled on a fresh opening combination for IPL 2026. While Samson was always touted to open, Gaikwad has brought himself back at his preferred position. Gaikwad confirmed during the captains’ meet in Mumbai that he will return to the top of the order, partnering with newly added member in Samson.
Gaikwad-Samson: CSK bank on stability at the top
CSK had struggled to find stability at the top during IPL 2025. Gaikwad himself batted at No. 3 for a large part of the season, while the team rotated between Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway and Rahul Tripathi as openers. No combination worked for CSK as they remained perhaps the poorest batting group, especially in the powerplay. This happened until Ayush Mhatre arrived as a replacement for Gaikwad, who was ruled out due to an injury.
Speaking at the IPL captains’ meet in Mumbai, Gaikwad surprisingly revealed CSK’s opening pair. “Rutu and Sanju,” he said, confirming the management’s decision to bank on experience this season.
Samson’s inclusion at the top comes on the back of strong performances in the T20 World Cup 2026, where he delivered three back-to-back wonderful knocks. Three innings basically won him the Player of the Tournament award. He has also spent the majority of his IPL career opening the innings for the Rajasthan Royals, although he moved to No. 3 last season to accommodate Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
CSK had multiple options in the squad, including Ayush Mhatre and Sarfaraz Khan, but the management has chosen a more settled and proven combination to begin the campaign.
Why Gaikwad is suited more as CSK’s opener
The decision to push Gaikwad back to the top is strongly backed by numbers. The CSK captain has been significantly more effective as an opener than in the middle order. As an opener, Gaikwad has scored 2289 runs in 60 innings at an average of 44.02 with a strike rate of 136.90. As a matter of fact, no other player in CSK’s history has more runs while opening than Gaikwad. His peak came during the 2021 season when he won the Orange Cap in a title-winning season for CSK.
In comparison, his returns at No.3 have been modest. In eight innings at that position, he has managed 208 runs at an average of 26.00, despite maintaining a healthy strike rate.
| Position | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 47 | 1632 | 37.95 | 134.98 |
| 2nd | 13 | 657 | 73 | 141.9 |
| 3rd | 8 | 208 | 26 | 151.82 |
| 4th | 1 | 5 | 5 | 50 |
| 5th | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Gaikwad has played more than 90 percent of his IPL innings as an opener, and the move back to the top is expected to allow him to play with greater freedom. The shift also opens up space in the middle order. Mhatre, who scored 240 runs in seven matches last season, is likely to be considered for the No.3 role, while Urvil Patel and Sarfaraz Khan add more options in that phase.
Predicted CSK playing XI for IPL 2026
| Position | Player | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Sanju Samson | Opener |
| 2. | Ruturaj Gaikwad (C) | Opener |
| 3. | Ayush Mhatre | Batter |
| 4. | Dewald Brevis ✈️ | Batter |
| 5. | Shivam Dube | All-rounder |
| 6. | Prashant Veer | All-rounder |
| 7. | MS Dhoni | Keeper |
| 8. | Rahul Chahar | Spinner |
| 9. | Matt Henry ✈️ | Pacer |
| 10. | Khaleel Ahmed | Pacer |
| 11. | Anshul Kamboj | Pacer |
| 12. | Noor Ahmad ✈️ | Spinner |
