Sanju Samson produced his second IPL hundred of the season for Chennai Super Kings on Thursday, registering it in only his seventh outing in CSK colours. The timing was fitting too, with the contest against Mumbai Indians turning it into a proper “El Clasico” moment at the Wankhede Stadium. Samson remained unbeaten on 101, made from 54 balls, and his innings carried the kind of momentum that can lift a side when others falter. He reached his fifth IPL century with a total that featured six maximums and 10 fours, and the knock also carried a string of firsts and standout numbers for Chennai. It made Samson the first CSK batter to score a century against Mumbai Indians in the league, while he also became the second CSK player after Shane Watson (in 2018) to hit two hundreds in a single season for the franchise. His 101 is additionally the highest individual score by any CSK batter versus MI in IPL history. The century was the first by a Chennai batter in an El Clasico meeting, with the previous high for CSK in this fixture being Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 88 not out off 58 balls in 2021. On the Mumbai side, centuries against CSK have been delivered by Sanath Jayasuriya (114* in 2008) and Rohit Sharma (105* in 2024).
Samson’s 101* was the anchor as Chennai Super Kings made 207 for six, a total that looked competitive for much of the innings before wickets and failed conversions from the other batters changed the rhythm during the middle overs. Even with poor shot choices and moments of hesitation causing pressure, the India wicketkeeper-batter kept his shape and executed each phase with intent, steering the innings with calm control.
Carrying his bat through to the end, Samson struck 10 fours and six sixes in his 54-ball masterclass. Chennai, though, had seemed set for something larger at one stage, only for the innings to lose momentum as partners around him couldn’t translate starts into big scores. The fall of wickets meant CSK had to keep recalibrating, and while Samson continued to find boundaries, the rest of the batting lineup couldn’t provide the same consistency.
Jasprit Bumrah started with a disciplined opening spell (figures of 1/31), keeping the pressure on early even though Samson still managed to open up at the right moments—driving through cover point with authority and then flicking Hardik Pandya (0/38) off his pads for a six. In the powerplay, CSK’s early rhythm was encouraging, with captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and Samson combining to take 19 runs each off Pandya’s first two overs. After a couple of early wickets went down, the visitors were still in a solid position at 73 for two, suggesting they had the platform to push the total higher.
Gaikwad looked like he was settling back into form, beginning with a heave on the leg-side off Pandya before pulling the pacer for a six to collect 19 runs from the second over. However, that promising start didn’t last. In the third over, he went inside-out against AM Ghazanfar (2/25), only to be caught smartly by Tilak Varma, who sprinted in from long-off.
There was also little comfort for Mumbai players in the CSK camp as familiar names couldn’t make their impact felt in the middle. Sarfaraz Khan, after being struck for boundaries earlier, ended on 14, while Shivam Dube managed only 5 and couldn’t build a meaningful innings.
Mitchell Santner then removed Sarfaraz by bowling one that was slightly shorter and drifting just enough to tempt an attempt that didn’t come off. Sarfaraz went for his usual sweep, but the ball’s dip undid him, crashing into the stumps. Later, Dube—batting at number four with the freedom to attack spinners—was still undone by the drift generated by Ghazanfar in the ninth over. The ball slipped past Dube’s inside edge and hit the stumps, a dismissal that further disrupted Chennai’s progression.
Dewald Brevis did provide a brief burst of power, striking a few big shots and reaching 21 off just 11 balls, but his innings ended when Ashwani Kumar (2/37) sent him a short delivery that forced him to reach well outside the off stump. That push ultimately led to Brevis falling after adding quick acceleration during a phase where CSK needed boundaries.
With the collapse happening around him, Samson kept the scoreboard moving by blending restraint with aggression, ensuring CSK didn’t lose touch completely. In the final over, he finished with flair—smashing Krish Bhagat for a towering six over cover and then pulling the last ball to complete his sixth IPL century. By the time the innings ended, it was clear that Chennai’s fortunes had been heavily shaped by Samson’s ability to stay in control even as the middle overs became difficult.
As the match went on, there was also a moment of respect from the CSK camp: players took the field wearing black armbands in tribute to Mukesh Choudhary’s mother, who passed away recently.
