For the IPL 2026 season, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have a power-packed batting order. Sanju Samson, Ayush Mhatre, Prashant Veer, Dewald Brevis, Kartik Sharma, Sarfaraz Khan… All are well capable of scoring runs at a rapid pace, which doesn’t mean that they all will score tons of runs in the upcoming season. Who will be the highest run getter for the team? Former Team India and CSK spinner Ravichandran Ashwin answered the challenging question.
Unlike any of the big hitters, Ravichandran Ashwin selected the captain Ruturaj Gaikwad as the possible contender to score the most amount of runs for the Yellow brigade in IPL 2026. Gaikwad will enter the campaign with a clinical domestic season with Maharashtra.
Why Ruturaj Gaikwad could be the top run scorer for CSK in the IPL 2026 season?
In the previous edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the top order batter recorded 413 runs from seven games, averaging 82.60 and a strike rate of 115.04. These stats are supported by a couple of centuries and a half-century.
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Ashwin senses that Ruturaj Gaikwad will try to play an anchor role, while the other batters around him will score runs at a fast pace. If, according to Ashwin’s prediction, Gaikwad remains on the track from the beginning to the end of an innings, then his run-scoring chances will increase automatically.
“Best batter – Ruturaj. I think he will bat at three. His role will be to play till the end. I feel he will look to anchor and the others will keep hitting around him. That is why I think he could get the volume of runs,” Ravichandran Ashwin said on his official YouTube channel ‘Ash ki Baat’.
Can the former champions qualify for the play-offs?
The former spinner believes that the team has the potential to qualify for the play-offs. To do that, Ashwin suggests the top order batters score tons of runs.
He also stated that to qualify for the knockout phase, the bowlers also need to perform according to the plans as well. On paper, CSK’s bowling attack is looking not among the best on paper, especially after the injury of Nathan Ellis.
“CSK will compete very hard to be at three or four. I feel they are a part of the three, four, five, and six contenders. If their top three or two at least score 500 runs each, and they find bowlers to execute plans and get their top two firing, I definitely feel they will get through. The bowling might not look strong, but in the past, they have found bowlers to do the job. I feel they are in contention,” Ashwin added.
Injuries to top bowlers can be beneficial for the team
Ashwin further explained that as some of the ace bowlers like Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood are expected to miss multiple early matches, the Chennai Super Kings will have a great chance to gain an advantage, utilising the situation.
“If CSK start well, then before guys like Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood come, you will feel RCB and SRH are having to catch up. If they start slow, and you hit the ground running as CSK, then you are set for a very good finish,” he pointed out.
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