Anil Kumble and Cheteshwar Pujara heaped praise on Sanju Samson after the CSK captain produced a match-winning hundred against the Delhi Capitals on Saturday in Chennai. For Chennai Super Kings, it was a breakthrough in more ways than one: Samson’s 56-ball 115* helped them register their first victory of the season, and the innings eventually steadied a campaign that had started with three straight defeats, where Samson managed only 6, 7 and 9 across the opening matches.
Samson’s knock carried real authority throughout. He struck at 205.36 against DC, finding the fence 15 times in boundaries and also clearing the ropes four times in his unbeaten stay at the crease. He didn’t just score quickly; he held the innings together as CSK built a commanding total of 212/2 in their 20 overs, with Samson anchoring the chase of 213. In the process, his century became the opening hundred of IPL 2026, a milestone that added extra weight to a performance that CSK desperately needed.
Speaking on JioHotstar, Kumble highlighted the technical clarity behind Samson’s approach. “You can see from his wagon wheel that he plays all around the ground. It’s not just that he has a strong offside or a strong onside. What was really impressive was that he was looking to play straight, not with a horizontal bat,” Kumble said. He went on to explain how that mindset makes batting easier against different lengths. “When your initial thought process is to play with a straight bat, and then you make those adjustments when a bowler pitches it short, it becomes much easier for a batter to score runs. His game awareness is excellent, and when he gets going, he makes it count.”
Kumble also compared the situation to Samson’s recent international exposure. “We saw that in the T20 World Cup. He didn’t convert those 90s into 100s, but it was different in this game. It was his first hundred for CSK and his fourth overall, a big relief for CSK fans, and also for Sanju Samson, as there was a lot of pressure on him after a tough first three games,” he added.
Pujara, a former CSK player himself, stressed that the win was not only valuable on the points table but also crucial for confidence. “If you look at the CSK camp, the body language of each and every player, including the support staff, suggested that they needed this win desperately. They will be relieved, and now that they have their first win on the board, they will start believing they have a chance. Once you start winning in the IPL, it’s always about momentum,” he said.
He further noted how losing can create a cloud over belief, while victories help teams reset their mindset. “You begin to believe that you can make it to the playoffs, because when you are losing, no matter how hard you try to maintain a good environment, there is always some negativity. But when you start winning, everyone begins to think positively,” Pujara added.
With CSK setting 213, Delhi Capitals were unable to keep pace and were bowled out for 189 in 20 overs. Jamie Overton led the breakthrough with a four-wicket haul, while Anshul Kamboj also contributed with three dismissals to help secure CSK’s first win of the campaign.
