‘Gukesh is clearly not world No 1, but can’t be compared to Ding Liren’: Caruana

World No 3 chess player Fabiano Caruana has refused to compare reigning world champion D Gukesh to former title holder Ding Liren, but he added that the Indian Grandmaster has experienced his own fair share of struggles, enduring one of his worst years on the circuit in 2025. Gukesh became the youngest world champion at 18 last December by beating Chinese chess star Liren, who had a disastrous reign at the top.

Liren hardly won any matches as the world champion and also admitted struggling with mental issues due to the expectations he had to face. While Gukesh has not been anything like that, the 19-year-old has also struggled with form recently.

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‘Gukesh is not clear No 1 in the world’

He recently suffered poor results at the FIDE Grand Swiss and World Cup and is yet to win a major title in 2025. Nonetheless, Caruana said Gukesh cannot be compared to Liren, but the Indian Grandmaster is also not the best player in the world.

“I don’t think it’s the same situation. Gukesh is still playing at the top level. Just that you cannot say that he’s the clear No 1 in the world right now. But that’s also normal: that the world champion is not necessarily the clear No 1 in the world. With Ding, it was different. He was just in very bad shape. Gukesh is performing much better than Ding,” Caruana, who is currently in India for GCL third season, was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

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Caruana added that Gukesh, who is only 19m could become a better player next year.

“But it’s true he (Gukesh) has not had a very good year. Maybe next year will be better. I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes into very good shape next year. But certainly after the world championship, it’s not been his best year.”

‘Praggnanandhaa among favourites for Candidates’

Caruana could be the challenger against Gukesh in the World Chess Championship 2026 if he wins the FIDE Candidates next year. Asked about who he feels could prove to be a problem for him in the Candidates, Caruana went with another Indian chess star R Praggnanandhaa.

“Praggnanandhaa is certainly among one of the favourites in the Candidates. I would not give any one player huge chances. But he definitely has a realistic chance, especially with some experience behind him,” he added.

Besides, Praggnanandhaa and Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, Anish Giri, Matthias Blübaum, Javokhir Sindarov, Wei Yi and Andrey Esipenko will also compete in the FIDE Candidates.