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‘Allow them to make mistakes’: Gaikwad wants CSK youngsters to embrace IPL pressure
Chennai – Ruturaj Gaikwad says he is “not forcing it” as he settles into life as Chennai Super Kings’ new-look captain, insisting the club’s crop of youngsters must be given room to err, learn and evolve in the glare of an IPL season minus MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina.
Chennai used five debutants in the opening loss to Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati, one of them the much-talked-about Kartik Sharma, signed for INR 14.20 crore. The result hurt, yet Gaikwad struck a calm note on the eve of Friday’s first home game against Punjab Kings.
“Not forcing it [captaincy], to be honest,” he said. “But, we didn’t have the best of squads last year. And when I say that, you know, no disrespect to any players. But, I think, the combination didn’t just click the way we wanted.
“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.”
Those words carry weight inside a dressing-room suddenly short on the banked wisdom of Dhoni. The Royals defeat, played on a damp surface that had lurked under covers for nearly two days, revealed raw edges in the rookies. Gaikwad, however, sees that as part of the process.
“I mean, [there’s pressure to perform] from families, from the media, from team members, everyone [in the IPL],” he added. “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’s 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’re still at the start of their careers. It’s just about managing what are their strengths, and just navigating them to be fearless and not have any doubts about it.”
Kartik managed a brief cameo with the bat in Guwahati – hardly a fair sample size – but his price tag has already triggered outside noise. Gaikwad and coach Stephen Fleming have both stressed patience, telling the teen to focus on the basics.
Pitch conditions have also been under scrutiny. In recent years Chepauk’s surface morphed from slow turner to high-scoring track, as witnessed during February’s T20 World Cup when India chased 184 against Zimbabwe after conceding 256. The same black-soil strip will be used on Friday.
“Regarding pitches, I feel a lot depends here on the weather,” Gaikwad remarked. “Whatever World Cup games happened, they happened in the month of February. So, not much of dew or f—”
He cut himself short, perhaps mindful of not over-analysing a wicket that can change character inside an hour. The squad, he believes, now owns enough depth – spin, seam and pace-off options – to adapt on the fly.
Fleming’s message to the team this week has been simple: positive intent with the bat, sharper lines with the ball, and a collective shrug when things do not stick first time. A senior all-rounder described the mood as “quietly confident”, noting that early losses have rarely derailed Chennai in previous seasons.
CSK supporters returning to Chepauk will notice the void left by Dhoni’s absence, yet Gaikwad’s understated style may resonate too. He wants a side that learns publicly, absorbs the blows and remains unafraid. That, he argues, is the best tribute to the era that came before.
