Sanju Samson failed to match the brilliance of his dazzling century against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026 on Saturday, but he still reached a landmark figure in style. The Chennai Super Kings batter, fresh off an unbeaten 101 versus Mumbai Indians in his previous outing, was dismissed for 11 when GT struck early. Even so, a boundary off the second ball of the second over from Kagiso Rabada took him to 5,000 IPL runs.
At a glance
- Samson reached 5,000 IPL runs with a boundary off Kagiso Rabada in the second over
- He needed 3,555 balls to get to 5,000 runs
- Fastest list: AB de Villiers (3,288), David Warner (3,554), Samson (3,555); Samson is the quickest Indian
- Samson was out for 11 after scoring 101* against Mumbai Indians in the previous match
- GT won the toss and chose to bowl against CSK in the 37th match of IPL 2026 at M.A. Chidambaram Stadium
- CSK and GT sit level at 3 wins and 4 losses after seven games
It took Samson 3,555 deliveries to reach the milestone, placing him third on the all-time quickest route to 5,000 IPL runs. Only AB de Villiers (3,288 balls) and David Warner (3,554 balls) were faster. Among Indian batters, Samson is the fastest to hit the 5,000-run mark.
The earlier quickest timelines to 5,000 IPL runs also read: 3,620 for Suresh Raina, 3,688 for KL Rahul, and 3,691 for MS Dhoni. Samson’s place in that group underlines how quickly he has been able to accumulate runs when he finds rhythm.
Gujarat Titans won the toss and opted to bowl first against Chennai Super Kings in the 37th fixture of IPL 2026 at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium. The match was scheduled as the opening game of Sunday’s double-header, adding extra importance to the early momentum.
With the tournament at the halfway point, both sides arrived in a balanced state—each having won three matches and lost four from their first seven. That tight positioning meant the result would carry significant weight for the standings, not just for bragging rights.
Form, confidence and pressure points
CSK came into the contest with confidence after a convincing win over Mumbai Indians. Sanju Samson’s unbeaten 101 anchored the chase, while Akeal Hosein contributed a four-wicket haul to swing the match decisively in CSK’s favour. Back at Chepauk, where they have claimed two wins from three games, the hosts will be keen to keep building on that home advantage.
GT, meanwhile, are dealing with the pressure of recent setbacks. They have suffered consecutive defeats—first to Mumbai Indians and then to Royal Challengers Bengaluru—despite a century from Sai Sudharsan in the run-up. While their bowling has remained one of their strengths, the middle-order has been inconsistent, and they will be looking to steady that area to return to winning form.
Speaking after winning the toss, GT captain Shubman Gill explained the thinking behind the decision to bowl. He said the pitch looked like a good one to start on, and that it would be beneficial to put a total on the board given the conditions.
Gill added that the key was winning the smaller moments across the innings. He pointed to the tendency to bleed runs in a three- to four-over stretch and stressed the need for consistent length in the middle phases. He also reflected on how target-setting changes with wicket behaviour, noting that if the surface favours batters in the powerplay, the plan is generally to aim for 70–80 runs—or more—before reassessing as the innings unfolds.
He finished by emphasising adapting to the conditions rather than dwelling on what hasn’t happened. Gill also confirmed one squad adjustment: Arshad is set to return to the playing group.
