Former Indian skipper Kris Srikkanth reckons Chennai Super Kings will have to release Ruturaj Gaikwad and get him at a better price in the IPL 2027 auction. CSK’s campaign ended in the ongoing season after they suffered a 89-run loss against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the CSK captain scored 337 runs in 14 matches at a below-par strike rate of 123.44 in IPL 2026 and thus could not lead from the front. Gaikwad was retained for INR 18 crore ahead of IPL 2025 auction.

Srikkanth said on his YouTube Channel, “CSK have to release him to the auction and try to get him at a better price. CSK needs a foreign opener who’s attacking. See how KKR have taken a Finn Allen, and they’ve started winning since he started smashing it. Anyway, Ruturaj Gaikwad should have been batting at No.3 only. The fact that he’s CSK’s second-highest scorer this season shows the state of the team.”

The 1983 World Cup-winning player questioned Gaikwad’s mundane performance throughout the season and said he has been pathetic as a captain and batter.

“He has been pathetic as a captain, batter, and everything else. Last game, he played Test cricket. CSK would have won if he just scored 15 more off the same balls last match. Is this how you perform in a season? Everyone says you should not judge after one bad season. But cricket is like that, and that’s professional sport, it’s not personal sport,” said Srikkanth (via the aforementioned source).

“At least this match, he showed intent, which was missing the entire season. I will definitely let go of Ruturaj and get him at half the price. If he goes elsewhere also, it’s not a problem, you’ll get someone new. Let anyone else take him, CSK can still form a good team without him. They did the same to Devon Conway. Gaikwad will not fit into my framework for CSK.”

Gaikwad will look to come up with an improved performance in the next season.