CHENNAI: The mood around Chennai Super Kings had been tense, but it has lifted in a hurry. A confident display from CSK’s latest signing, Sanju Samson, against a stern Delhi Capitals unit at Chepauk on Saturday has injected fresh optimism into the camp.
Samson struck an unbeaten 115 off 56 deliveries—his first big statement in CSK colours—and in doing so, underlined exactly why he is regarded as a valuable T20 asset. He didn’t play with any sense of panic, nor did he force the issue with reckless power-hitting. Instead, he leaned on his strengths and built a polished innings against quality bowling.
Rather than chasing boundaries for the sake of it, Samson paced his work intelligently. He found the fence nine times during the Powerplay, using timing and placement to keep the pressure steady rather than spiking it in bursts. That control, along with strong awareness of the game situation, helped CSK end a six-match Chepauk drought and finally get their campaign moving.
The knock also arrived as a clear turning point. Samson had endured a tough start, with disappointing returns in his first three outings, and the pressure had started to rise on the Kerala batter—especially with him describing Chennai as his “second home.” Yet, even with that backdrop, there was no visible strain in his approach.
CSK bowling coach Eric Simons pointed to the composure Samson showed as the key difference. He suggested Samson’s calmness on the big stage is close to the standards set by the franchise’s former captain, MS Dhoni.
“I’ve had the privilege of working many years with MS Dhoni, one of the calmest cricketers I’ve seen. Sanju isn’t far behind,” Simons said. “There’s no panic, no urge to over-practise. When you have a player of his class, you know poor form is temporary.”
Simons also singled out self-belief as Samson’s defining trait. “It’s something he has in abundance. Our job is to keep trusting him,” he added.
That confidence has been paying dividends for Samson even before this CSK surge. At the recent T20 World Cup, he was named in the XI later than usual following a run of low scores, but he stayed faithful to his natural game and delivered with two successive Player-of-the-Match performances.
Samson’s arrival at CSK came with its own weight of expectations. The franchise let go of long-time stalwart Ravindra Jadeja to make room for him, a move that signalled the faith CSK has placed in their new recruit. Samson acknowledged the importance of repaying that trust.
“After the trust CSK showed in me, it was important to deliver so we stay in contention,” he said. “It’s never easy starting with a new franchise, but I never felt that here. It’s like a second home.”
Even with the highs, Samson doesn’t shy away from setbacks. He believes those rough stretches have helped him evolve as a batter and as a player.
“I have failed a lot, but failure teaches you how to come back,” he said.
