A captain, they say, must lead from the front. By that measure, Ruturaj Gaikwad has endured a quiet start to the Indian Premier League 2026. But Chennai Super Kings’ bowling coach Eric Simons insists there is little concern within the camp over the skipper’s lean run.

“It’s a cliche that class is permanent. Tilak (Varma) had been struggling, hadn’t he? And then he has gone and played an incredible knock. We don’t doubt Rutu at all and he doesn’t doubt himself,” Simons said on Wednesday, on the eve of CSK’s marquee clash against Mumbai Indians.