संजू सैमसन को किया गया इग्नोर, 3 नए चेहरों की सरप्राइज एंट्री, न्यूजीलैंड सीरीज से कितनी बदली टीम इंडिया
बीसीसीआई ने अफगानिस्तान के खिलाफ तीन मैचों की वनडे सीरीज के लिए टीम इंडिया के…
बीसीसीआई ने अफगानिस्तान के खिलाफ तीन मैचों की वनडे सीरीज के लिए टीम इंडिया के…
Suryakumar Yadav, Team India T20 Captain: इंडियन प्रीमियर लीग (IPL) 2026 के बाद भारतीय टी20…
ऑरेंज कैप की रेस में नया मोड़ आता हुआ नजर आ रहा है। चेन्नई सुपरकिंग्स…
It has been a 2026 to remember for Sanju Samson. After initially being dropped from India’s T20 team the 31-year-old returned to the team in memorable fashion, smashing three fifties in three knockout matches as India romped home to its third T20 World Cup title.
He has carried that form forward into his maiden stint with Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026, smashing two centuries in his first eight outings, and has been the lone bright spark in what has been a tough season for the Chennai Super Kings batting group with 304 runs at an average of 50.66 and strike-rate of 169.83.
This recent form is the culmination of a recent turnaround for the batter, who has added the element of consistency to his much-vaunted batting style.
It is a change that Sanjay Manjrekar puts down to a technical change. “He has this very beautiful stance, slightly open and nicely balanced, very relaxed. Now, earlier, he had this one movement, a small step forward. And from this position, his whole batting would happen,” Manjrekar explained on Sportstar’s Insight Edge podcast.
“Now, what he has started doing in the same position, he goes right back. Now, the ball is further away from me, so I’m able to pull it and there is more time for me to react to that ball.”
ALSO READ: Sanjay Manjrekar: KL Rahul can bat at any position, provided he doesn’t think his wicket matters
“The other thing that happens is when you go right back, the bowler sort of becomes a little slower because I’m further away from him. So I get a little more time,” he further explained.
Manjrekar also noted that Samson had added another shot to his repertoire, the dab to third man. “When there is a good ball that’s bowled very close to him, he’s doing a little tap down to the third man. If he was in the original position, there was no way he would be able to play that.
”“So basically what he’s done is gone back and he’s made all these balls, good balls, scoring deliveries.
“The one ball that can trouble him, if there’s a smart bowler, is if he pitches the ball right up and that troubles him. But he’s also a good front foot player, so if the pitch is not lively, the ball is not moving much, he’s able to drive off the front foot,’ Manjrekar concluded.
Manjrekar also said that Samson’s mentality has contributed to his success, saying, ”Mentally he’s a very interesting character. He’s a very relaxed guy, and it’s not an act, he is genuinely relaxed.”
“In the T20 World Cup, the thing to like about him was the demeanour he has. He played a game and was dropped, but when he came back, he was OK to get out, he didn’t mind getting out. He’s not someone who, because he was out of the team and needs to prove himself, will just pick up the ones and twos, and be the anchor. He’s very selfless. That is the thing to like about him.”
Published on May 01, 2026
It has been a 2026 to remember for Sanju Samson. After initially being dropped from India’s T20 team the 31-year-old returned to the team in memorable fashion, smashing three fifties in three knockout matches as India romped home to its third T20 World Cup title.
He has carried that form forward into his maiden stint with Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026, smashing two centuries in his first eight outings, and has been the lone bright spark in what has been a tough season for the Chennai Super Kings batting group with 304 runs at an average of 50.66 and strike-rate of 169.83.
This recent form is the culmination of a recent turnaround for the batter, who has added the element of consistency to his much-vaunted batting style.
It is a change that Sanjay Manjrekar puts down to a technical change. “He has this very beautiful stance, slightly open and nicely balanced, very relaxed. Now, earlier, he had this one movement, a small step forward. And from this position, his whole batting would happen,” Manjrekar explained on Sportstar’s Insight Edge podcast.
“Now, what he has started doing in the same position, he goes right back. Now, the ball is further away from me, so I’m able to pull it and there is more time for me to react to that ball.”
ALSO READ: Sanjay Manjrekar: KL Rahul can bat at any position, provided he doesn’t think his wicket matters
“The other thing that happens is when you go right back, the bowler sort of becomes a little slower because I’m further away from him. So I get a little more time,” he further explained.
Manjrekar also noted that Samson had added another shot to his repertoire, the dab to third man. “When there is a good ball that’s bowled very close to him, he’s doing a little tap down to the third man. If he was in the original position, there was no way he would be able to play that.
”“So basically what he’s done is gone back and he’s made all these balls, good balls, scoring deliveries.
“The one ball that can trouble him, if there’s a smart bowler, is if he pitches the ball right up and that troubles him. But he’s also a good front foot player, so if the pitch is not lively, the ball is not moving much, he’s able to drive off the front foot,’ Manjrekar concluded.
Manjrekar also said that Samson’s mentality has contributed to his success, saying, ”Mentally he’s a very interesting character. He’s a very relaxed guy, and it’s not an act, he is genuinely relaxed.”
“In the T20 World Cup, the thing to like about him was the demeanour he has. He played a game and was dropped, but when he came back, he was OK to get out, he didn’t mind getting out. He’s not someone who, because he was out of the team and needs to prove himself, will just pick up the ones and twos, and be the anchor. He’s very selfless. That is the thing to like about him.”
Published on May 01, 2026
It has been a 2026 to remember for Sanju Samson. After initially being dropped from…
Sanju Samson became the 10th player to complete 5000 runs in IPL cricket in Chennai Super Kings’ match against Gujarat Titans at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on April 26.
Samson reached the landmark with a six against Kagiso Rabada in the second over of the match. Rabada would later dismiss him for 11 from 15 balls.
The 31-year-old completed the milestone in 185 matches for three franchises — Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils, and Chennai Super Kings — and five centuries. He has previously captained RR as well.
Here is a list of the players who have completed 5000 runs in IPL:
Virat Kohli (RCB) – 8989 runs
Rohit Sharma (DCH/MI) – 7183 runs
Shikhar Dhawan (DC/DCH/MI/SRH/PBKS) – 6769 runs
David Warner (DC/SRH) – 6565 runs
KL Rahul (DC/KXIP/RCB/SRH/LSG) – 5579 runs
Suresh Raina (CSK/GL) – 5528 runs
MS Dhoni (CSK/RPS) – 5439 runs
Ajinkya Rahane (CSK/DC/KKR/MI/RPS/RR) – 5184 runs
AB de Villiers (DC/RCB) – 5162 runs
Sanju Samson (CSK/DC/RR) – 5008 runs
Published on Apr 26, 2026
Sanju Samson became the 10th player to complete 5000 runs in IPL cricket in Chennai Super Kings’ match against Gujarat Titans at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on April 26.
Samson reached the landmark with a six against Kagiso Rabada in the second over of the match. Rabada would later dismiss him for 11 from 15 balls.
The 31-year-old completed the milestone in 185 matches for three franchises — Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils, and Chennai Super Kings — and five centuries. He has previously captained RR as well.
Here is a list of the players who have completed 5000 runs in IPL:
Virat Kohli (RCB) – 8989 runs
Rohit Sharma (DCH/MI) – 7183 runs
Shikhar Dhawan (DC/DCH/MI/SRH/PBKS) – 6769 runs
David Warner (DC/SRH) – 6565 runs
KL Rahul (DC/KXIP/RCB/SRH/LSG) – 5579 runs
Suresh Raina (CSK/GL) – 5528 runs
MS Dhoni (CSK/RPS) – 5439 runs
Ajinkya Rahane (CSK/DC/KKR/MI/RPS/RR) – 5184 runs
AB de Villiers (DC/RCB) – 5162 runs
Sanju Samson (CSK/DC/RR) – 5008 runs
Published on Apr 26, 2026
Sanju Samson became the 10th player to complete 5000 runs in IPL cricket in Chennai…
While some batters arrive at away grounds determined to play a certain way regardless of the pitch, Chennai Super Kings’ Sanju Samson says his red-hot form in the IPL 2026 is a product of adaptability and an open mind.
After single-digit scores in his first three IPL knocks, Samson smashed his second hundred of the season against Mumbai Indians on Thursday, his unbeaten 101 off 54 balls setting up Chennai’s 103-run victory over the five-time champions.
With 293 runs from seven innings, Samson is now third in the leading scorers’ list this season behind Sunrisers Hyderabad duo Abhishek Sharma (323) and Heinrich Klaasen (320).
Samson said it was not a typical Wankhede pitch and he had to adjust his game as the ball did not come nicely onto the bat.
“I think the game tells you what to do,” he added.
“I think you don’t have to come with a preconceived mindset, or you don’t have to be premeditating — this is how I play or this is what I want to do.
Also read | Akeal Hosein rewrites PowerPlay playbook with Chennai Super Kings
“You can definitely say that this is the way I play… It is my responsibility to understand the game situation, what the team demands, and then plan my game around it.
“I definitely go with a very open mindset.”
The 31-year-old, who was player of the tournament when India defended its T20 World Cup title earlier this year, also relished handing Mumbai its biggest defeat in the IPL in front of its own fans at the Wankhede Stadium.
“It really feels great to score a century in Wankhede against MI,” Samson said after the win, which helped Chennai climb to fifth place in the league.
Published on Apr 24, 2026
While some batters arrive at away grounds determined to play a certain way regardless of the pitch, Chennai Super Kings’ Sanju Samson says his red-hot form in the IPL 2026 is a product of adaptability and an open mind.
After single-digit scores in his first three IPL knocks, Samson smashed his second hundred of the season against Mumbai Indians on Thursday, his unbeaten 101 off 54 balls setting up Chennai’s 103-run victory over the five-time champions.
With 293 runs from seven innings, Samson is now third in the leading scorers’ list this season behind Sunrisers Hyderabad duo Abhishek Sharma (323) and Heinrich Klaasen (320).
Samson said it was not a typical Wankhede pitch and he had to adjust his game as the ball did not come nicely onto the bat.
“I think the game tells you what to do,” he added.
“I think you don’t have to come with a preconceived mindset, or you don’t have to be premeditating — this is how I play or this is what I want to do.
Also read | Akeal Hosein rewrites PowerPlay playbook with Chennai Super Kings
“You can definitely say that this is the way I play… It is my responsibility to understand the game situation, what the team demands, and then plan my game around it.
“I definitely go with a very open mindset.”
The 31-year-old, who was player of the tournament when India defended its T20 World Cup title earlier this year, also relished handing Mumbai its biggest defeat in the IPL in front of its own fans at the Wankhede Stadium.
“It really feels great to score a century in Wankhede against MI,” Samson said after the win, which helped Chennai climb to fifth place in the league.
Published on Apr 24, 2026
While some batters arrive at away grounds determined to play a certain way regardless of…
Sanju Samson on Thursday scored his second century of the IPL 2026 season during Chennai Super Kings’ match against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.
ALSO READ: Most hundreds in IPL: Sanju Samson enters top 5 five with fifth century during MI vs CSK
The 31-year-old completed his ton in 54 balls with the help of 10 fours and six sixes. Samson’s innings helped his team post 207 for six in 20 overs.
His first hundred in the season came against Delhi Capitals, when he scored an unbeaten 115 off just 56 balls. Samson now has five centuries in the tournament. Only three other batters have scored more hundreds than him.
Published on Apr 23, 2026
Sanju Samson on Thursday scored his second century of the IPL 2026 season during Chennai Super Kings’ match against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.
ALSO READ: Most hundreds in IPL: Sanju Samson enters top 5 five with fifth century during MI vs CSK
The 31-year-old completed his ton in 54 balls with the help of 10 fours and six sixes. Samson’s innings helped his team post 207 for six in 20 overs.
His first hundred in the season came against Delhi Capitals, when he scored an unbeaten 115 off just 56 balls. Samson now has five centuries in the tournament. Only three other batters have scored more hundreds than him.
Published on Apr 23, 2026
Sanju Samson on Thursday scored his second century of the IPL 2026 season during Chennai…
India opener Sanju Samson was on Tuesday named ICC Men’s Player of the Month for March, capping a stellar run that saw him play a defining role in the team’s triumphant T20 World Cup campaign.
Samson did not get to play in the early part of the tournament but was the standout performer in the big games towards the end and helped India retain the title.
His latest honour also extends a unique streak, with players from different countries winning the award over the past five months, including South Africa’s Simon Harmer, Australia’s Mitchell Starc, New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell and Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan.
“Winning the ICC Player of the Month award is an incredible feeling, especially as it comes during what has been the most unforgettable phase of my cricketing journey. Playing a part in India’s triumph at the Men’s T20 World Cup was truly a dream realised, and it took some time for the magnitude of that moment to fully sink in,” Samson said.
“This is an exciting era for Indian cricket, with immense talent across the board. I feel grateful for the opportunities I’ve received, and for the trust and support from my teammates and coaching staff that have allowed me to perform at my best.”
Not a regular part of the playing XI in the initial stages of the tournament, Samson was eventually called up for India’s must-win Super 8 fixtures. After starting off with 24 against Zimbabwe, he picked form and didn’t look back.
The opener missed out on a century against West Indies by just three runs, but his attacking 97 not out set up India’s spot in the semifinal.
A blistering 89 against England at the Wankhede Stadium helped India to 253 for seven, and the target proved elusive for the English, who missed out by seven runs on March 5.
An equally amazing 89 was churned out during India’s successful title defence in Ahmedabad, securing a 96-run win.
In the three crucial T20Is he was a part of in March, Samson notched up 275 runs at an astonishing average of 137.50 and a stunning strike rate of 199.27.
This is the first time that Samson has secured an ICC Men’s Player of the Month honour.
New Zealand captain Amelia Kerr won the women’s honour for the third time, after an outstanding series against Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Kerr’s captaincy seemed to have brought out the best in her, with both the ball and the bat. | Photo Credit: AFP
Kerr’s captaincy seemed to have brought out the best in her, with both the ball and the bat. | Photo Credit: AFP
Taking over the white-ball teams from Sophie Devine, Kerr’s captaincy seemed to have brought out the best in her, with both the ball and the bat. In the Zimbabwe ODI series, she managed to snap 16 wickets in just three matches, including her career-best figures of 7/34.
Additionally, she also contributed with the bat, being the third highest run-scorer in the ODIs, scoring 140 runs across three games with an average of 46.67 in the counting month.
Published on Apr 14, 2026
India opener Sanju Samson was on Tuesday named ICC Men’s Player of the Month for March, capping a stellar run that saw him play a defining role in the team’s triumphant T20 World Cup campaign.
Samson did not get to play in the early part of the tournament but was the standout performer in the big games towards the end and helped India retain the title.
His latest honour also extends a unique streak, with players from different countries winning the award over the past five months, including South Africa’s Simon Harmer, Australia’s Mitchell Starc, New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell and Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan.
“Winning the ICC Player of the Month award is an incredible feeling, especially as it comes during what has been the most unforgettable phase of my cricketing journey. Playing a part in India’s triumph at the Men’s T20 World Cup was truly a dream realised, and it took some time for the magnitude of that moment to fully sink in,” Samson said.
“This is an exciting era for Indian cricket, with immense talent across the board. I feel grateful for the opportunities I’ve received, and for the trust and support from my teammates and coaching staff that have allowed me to perform at my best.”
Not a regular part of the playing XI in the initial stages of the tournament, Samson was eventually called up for India’s must-win Super 8 fixtures. After starting off with 24 against Zimbabwe, he picked form and didn’t look back.
The opener missed out on a century against West Indies by just three runs, but his attacking 97 not out set up India’s spot in the semifinal.
A blistering 89 against England at the Wankhede Stadium helped India to 253 for seven, and the target proved elusive for the English, who missed out by seven runs on March 5.
An equally amazing 89 was churned out during India’s successful title defence in Ahmedabad, securing a 96-run win.
In the three crucial T20Is he was a part of in March, Samson notched up 275 runs at an astonishing average of 137.50 and a stunning strike rate of 199.27.
This is the first time that Samson has secured an ICC Men’s Player of the Month honour.
New Zealand captain Amelia Kerr won the women’s honour for the third time, after an outstanding series against Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Kerr’s captaincy seemed to have brought out the best in her, with both the ball and the bat. | Photo Credit: AFP
Kerr’s captaincy seemed to have brought out the best in her, with both the ball and the bat. | Photo Credit: AFP
Taking over the white-ball teams from Sophie Devine, Kerr’s captaincy seemed to have brought out the best in her, with both the ball and the bat. In the Zimbabwe ODI series, she managed to snap 16 wickets in just three matches, including her career-best figures of 7/34.
Additionally, she also contributed with the bat, being the third highest run-scorer in the ODIs, scoring 140 runs across three games with an average of 46.67 in the counting month.
Published on Apr 14, 2026
India opener Sanju Samson was on Tuesday named ICC Men’s Player of the Month for…
Viyarppu thunniyitta kuppayam. Athil nirangal mangukilla kattayam. [Dress spun from sweat; more vivid than any story ever told].
The opening lyrics of the song ‘Kuthanthram’ from the 2024 Malayalam classic ‘Manjummel Boys’ left a lasting imprint on people’s minds due to its quirky metaphorical connotation.
Indian batter Sanju Samson had referenced the phrase in a social media post after finding a spot back in the playing eleven after being dropped following a disappointing tour of Australia.
A lot has transpired in Samson’s life since that game in December 2025. He was dropped from the team again. He was reintegrated again. And then he played three career-defining knocks, one after the other, to guide his nation to a third T20 World Cup triumph.
On Saturday, at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, another vivid story was written when a drenched-in-sweat Samson yielded his willow after Chennai Super Kings’ first innings against Delhi Capitals. An unbeaten 115 in front of 30,000 yellow-clad fans at his new amphitheatre was the first real indication of a metamorphosis foreseen by many since the 31-year-old traded his longstanding pink for yellow ahead of the new IPL season.
Like most things in his more-than-a-decade-long career so far, this too did not come easy for him. Three consecutive no-shows with the bat, all while being the torchbearer for the side’s new injection of exuberance, almost extinguished the halo of nobility that appeared after his World Cup exploits.
The first ball he faced from debutant Auqib Nabi set the tone for the day. You would imagine that a batter who was dismissed thrice in succession by the ball moving away — twice through an outside edge looking to push away from off-stump — would look to ensure there was no movement on offer before playing a similar shot. Not Samson. He prodded his front foot across, in a sign of immense self-confidence, to caress the ball through the covers and pick up three.
While his opening partner, Ruturaj Gaikwad, struggled to combine both timing and the art of finding the gap together, Samson delivered a clinic in batting against pace in the PowerPlay, combining composure and direction to give his side a rapid start. Two gorgeous fours over extra-cover against Axar Patel followed, after which the Kerala batter slipped his vehicle into autopilot, the likes of which we saw at the victorious multi-nation tournament.
A bothersome back, a dropped catch in the deep, and an unnerving prolonged stint in the 90s later, a fortuitous outside edge of the blade took him to three figures, one that the crowd welcomed with ear-splitting whistles and a standing ovation.
The CSK fanbase has long venerated a wicketkeeper-batter to such a degree that he is now considered to be the son of the soil. The unyielding fandom has grown to such an extent that it forces him to return to play in front of the adoring crowd despite his growing years. It can’t go on forever, though. But now, there is a successor in place, and Saturday at the Chepauk was his first step towards staking a claim to be that leading man.
Published on Apr 12, 2026
Viyarppu thunniyitta kuppayam. Athil nirangal mangukilla kattayam. [Dress spun from sweat; more vivid than any story ever told].
The opening lyrics of the song ‘Kuthanthram’ from the 2024 Malayalam classic ‘Manjummel Boys’ left a lasting imprint on people’s minds due to its quirky metaphorical connotation.
Indian batter Sanju Samson had referenced the phrase in a social media post after finding a spot back in the playing eleven after being dropped following a disappointing tour of Australia.
A lot has transpired in Samson’s life since that game in December 2025. He was dropped from the team again. He was reintegrated again. And then he played three career-defining knocks, one after the other, to guide his nation to a third T20 World Cup triumph.
On Saturday, at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, another vivid story was written when a drenched-in-sweat Samson yielded his willow after Chennai Super Kings’ first innings against Delhi Capitals. An unbeaten 115 in front of 30,000 yellow-clad fans at his new amphitheatre was the first real indication of a metamorphosis foreseen by many since the 31-year-old traded his longstanding pink for yellow ahead of the new IPL season.
Like most things in his more-than-a-decade-long career so far, this too did not come easy for him. Three consecutive no-shows with the bat, all while being the torchbearer for the side’s new injection of exuberance, almost extinguished the halo of nobility that appeared after his World Cup exploits.
The first ball he faced from debutant Auqib Nabi set the tone for the day. You would imagine that a batter who was dismissed thrice in succession by the ball moving away — twice through an outside edge looking to push away from off-stump — would look to ensure there was no movement on offer before playing a similar shot. Not Samson. He prodded his front foot across, in a sign of immense self-confidence, to caress the ball through the covers and pick up three.
While his opening partner, Ruturaj Gaikwad, struggled to combine both timing and the art of finding the gap together, Samson delivered a clinic in batting against pace in the PowerPlay, combining composure and direction to give his side a rapid start. Two gorgeous fours over extra-cover against Axar Patel followed, after which the Kerala batter slipped his vehicle into autopilot, the likes of which we saw at the victorious multi-nation tournament.
A bothersome back, a dropped catch in the deep, and an unnerving prolonged stint in the 90s later, a fortuitous outside edge of the blade took him to three figures, one that the crowd welcomed with ear-splitting whistles and a standing ovation.
The CSK fanbase has long venerated a wicketkeeper-batter to such a degree that he is now considered to be the son of the soil. The unyielding fandom has grown to such an extent that it forces him to return to play in front of the adoring crowd despite his growing years. It can’t go on forever, though. But now, there is a successor in place, and Saturday at the Chepauk was his first step towards staking a claim to be that leading man.
Published on Apr 12, 2026
Viyarppu thunniyitta kuppayam. Athil nirangal mangukilla kattayam. [Dress spun from sweat; more vivid than any story…
Chennai Super Kings opener Sanju Samson said he went back to the basics after three batting failures as he set up his side’s 23-run win over Delhi Capitals with an unbeaten hundred in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Chennai on Saturday.
Samson made 6, 7 and 9 in CSK’s three losses in a row in IPL 2026, before his 56-ball unbeaten 115, studded with 15 fours and four sixes, gave the home side its first win of the season.
“I failed a lot. Failing a lot tells you how to come back. Mentally, you think if you need to go hard or change the gameplan. You need to bring your body and mind to basics,” Samson said at the post-match presentation.
“Basics are to get in a mentally different zone. We need to come back to timing the ball and watching it come out nicely from the bowler’s hand. Very happy things have come (out) nicely today.”
He said it was not easy to join a new franchise—from RR to CSK this season—but the team environment has made it easy for him.
“Really means a lot. The trust they (CSK franchise) showed in me, it was a very responsible feeling that I needed to put in a show and say we are still in the tournament,” said Samson.
“Not easy to start off at a different franchise b,ut it never felt like it. It was like coming to a second home. We just had a meeting of 50 seconds today (despite three losses)—that connects with the kind of person I am.”
On his 113-run partnership with youngster Ayush Mhatre (59), he said, “Very important to have a great partnership. It never looked like he (Mhatre) was coming out of U-19—he was so calculative. Shows the character he has.”
On his hundred celebration, Samson said, “That was for (Stephen) Fleming. I know how hard it can get, leading a franchise for years. Just wanted to dedicate this (innings) to Fleming.”
Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad said the team felt good to finally get the win.
“Great performance. We had been batting well. To post 200-210, when the wicket is on the slower side, we were showing good signs. One of those knocks where Sanju took on the opposition, played a magnificent knock. Ayush also. But today was about the bowling. Taking wickets, bowling aggressive lengths. We do not have that X-factor in the bowling, but we have been discussing on how to be more effective and more proactive. In the last few games, we were almost there. Some big overs cost us.
“Bowling-wise, we were on the mark (tonight). We were set back in the PowerPlay, but we came back after it.”
Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel said the fielding was the difference in the match.
“We started well, but after the PowerPlay, we lost quick wickets, and that broke the momentum. The fielding was the difference in the match. Wickets falling in clusters made it tough to regain momentum. Batters did a decent job, but overall, our fielding was a let-down. Want to credit the bowlers, to keep them to that score, despite them having set batters on a good wicket. A couple of dropped catches, had we taken them, it might have been different. Pitch did not change. It was a little more difficult for them (with the dew in the second innings) but they bowled pretty well,” he noted.
Published on Apr 12, 2026
Chennai Super Kings opener Sanju Samson said he went back to the basics after three batting failures as he set up his side’s 23-run win over Delhi Capitals with an unbeaten hundred in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Chennai on Saturday.
Samson made 6, 7 and 9 in CSK’s three losses in a row in IPL 2026, before his 56-ball unbeaten 115, studded with 15 fours and four sixes, gave the home side its first win of the season.
“I failed a lot. Failing a lot tells you how to come back. Mentally, you think if you need to go hard or change the gameplan. You need to bring your body and mind to basics,” Samson said at the post-match presentation.
“Basics are to get in a mentally different zone. We need to come back to timing the ball and watching it come out nicely from the bowler’s hand. Very happy things have come (out) nicely today.”
He said it was not easy to join a new franchise—from RR to CSK this season—but the team environment has made it easy for him.
“Really means a lot. The trust they (CSK franchise) showed in me, it was a very responsible feeling that I needed to put in a show and say we are still in the tournament,” said Samson.
“Not easy to start off at a different franchise b,ut it never felt like it. It was like coming to a second home. We just had a meeting of 50 seconds today (despite three losses)—that connects with the kind of person I am.”
On his 113-run partnership with youngster Ayush Mhatre (59), he said, “Very important to have a great partnership. It never looked like he (Mhatre) was coming out of U-19—he was so calculative. Shows the character he has.”
On his hundred celebration, Samson said, “That was for (Stephen) Fleming. I know how hard it can get, leading a franchise for years. Just wanted to dedicate this (innings) to Fleming.”
Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad said the team felt good to finally get the win.
“Great performance. We had been batting well. To post 200-210, when the wicket is on the slower side, we were showing good signs. One of those knocks where Sanju took on the opposition, played a magnificent knock. Ayush also. But today was about the bowling. Taking wickets, bowling aggressive lengths. We do not have that X-factor in the bowling, but we have been discussing on how to be more effective and more proactive. In the last few games, we were almost there. Some big overs cost us.
“Bowling-wise, we were on the mark (tonight). We were set back in the PowerPlay, but we came back after it.”
Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel said the fielding was the difference in the match.
“We started well, but after the PowerPlay, we lost quick wickets, and that broke the momentum. The fielding was the difference in the match. Wickets falling in clusters made it tough to regain momentum. Batters did a decent job, but overall, our fielding was a let-down. Want to credit the bowlers, to keep them to that score, despite them having set batters on a good wicket. A couple of dropped catches, had we taken them, it might have been different. Pitch did not change. It was a little more difficult for them (with the dew in the second innings) but they bowled pretty well,” he noted.
Published on Apr 12, 2026
Chennai Super Kings opener Sanju Samson said he went back to the basics after three…