Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad emphasised the importance of allowing young and inexperienced players to make mistakes and express themselves ahead of the IPL match against Punjab Kings.
Speaking before the game, Gaikwad stated he is not forcing his captaincy role on the youthful side, focusing instead on maintaining a positive mindset within the team.
The opening game of IPL 2026 saw five debutants for CSK, including Sarfaraz Khan and wicketkeeper-batter Kartik Sharma, acquired for Rs 14.20 crore. For the first time in the franchise's history, neither MS Dhoni nor Suresh Raina featured in the playing XI. Raina retired from all formats in 2022, while Dhoni is sidelined for two weeks with a calf strain.
Gaikwad told ESPNCricinfo that last year's squad lacked the ideal balance and that this year's team, though promising, is young and requires room to develop. “When I say that, you know, no disrespect to any players. But, I think, the combination did not just click the way we wanted,” he said.
Over recent years, CSK has moved on from long-standing stars such as Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Suresh Raina and Dwayne Bravo, investing in new talents like Dewald Brevis, Urvil Patel and Ayush Mhatre. The team also acquired Sanju Samson in a trade with Rajasthan Royals, involving Jadeja and Sam Curran.
“Looking at this team now, it is a very young team. The excitement is there but at the same time, there’s a lot of difference between experienced players and inexperienced players. So, you have to allow them to make mistakes. You have to allow them to express themselves. You have to make sure that they are in a good headspace,” Gaikwad added.
The rookies struggled in their first game, with Mhatre, Kartik and Sarfaraz failing to score significantly, while Samson, named T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament, fell for single digits. The team faced challenging batting conditions in Guwahati, where the pitch had been covered for long periods.
Gaikwad remained unfazed by the initial failures, encouraging the youngsters to embrace the IPL's pressure as part of their development. “I mean, [there is pressure to perform] from families, from the media, from team members, everyone [in the IPL],” he said.
“So to cope with that and to just get into that IPL performance mode, sometimes it takes time. You try and share your experience with them, [but] it should not make them cautious. It should not make them go into a negative frame of mind. Making their debut for a franchise like CSK - it is a huge achievement for them. So, first thing is to enjoy it, embrace it and give your best, whatever it is there. If it happens, well and good; even if it does not happen, it is still a long journey for them. They are still at the start of their careers. It is just about managing what are their strengths, and just navigating them to be fearless and not have any doubts about it,” he concluded.