Sanju Samson delivered a breathtaking century to pull Chennai Super Kings back into form against Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026, delivering a timely reminder of his class after a testing start to his new franchise stint. The right-hander had been on the back foot early in the campaign since his move from Rajasthan Royals to CSK, managing scores of 0, 8, and 1 across his first three appearances. In his fourth match, though, Samson produced a match-defining effort that set the tone for CSK’s charge.
From a slow start to a big statement
Chasing stability after a tough opening run, Samson’s breakthrough came the moment he walked in following an early setback for Ruturaj Gaikwad inside the powerplay. With wickets falling around him, the batter took control of the tempo and built an innings that looked as though it had been rehearsed—calm against the new ball, decisive when the ball was in his arc.
Key partnership and the century that followed
Samson stitched a vital stand of 113 runs with Ayush Mhatre, a rising youngster who played his part with aggression and timing. Mhatre scored 59 before he was retired out, a move that forced CSK to accelerate without losing their structure. Even with the pressure of the game moving quickly, Samson kept his composure, continuing to find runs through both pace and spin. He also survived a reprieve on 52, before turning that escape into a platform for a dominant finish.
- Samson built the innings after Ruturaj Gaikwad’s early dismissal in the powerplay.
- He shared a 113-run partnership with Ayush Mhatre, who made 59 before being retired out.
- Samson was let off on 52 but went on to convert it into a superb century.
- The knock came against both pace and spin as CSK looked to press the advantage.
Milestones: fourth IPL hundred and T20 sixes mark
The century was Samson’s fourth in IPL cricket and one that carried extra weight given what he had already achieved this year. Coming into the season after winning Player of the Tournament honours at the T20 World Cup, expectations were high—and he answered them with a performance that looked both authoritative and inevitable once he settled.
The milestone also took Samson to 400 sixes in T20 cricket. He became only the fourth Indian to reach that figure, joining Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Suryakumar Yadav on the list.
- Samson’s T20 six-hitting milestone: 400 sixes across T20 cricket.
- He became only the fourth Indian to reach 400 T20 sixes, after Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Suryakumar Yadav.
How the innings stacks up in his IPL record
Samson’s IPL centuries now read like a snapshot of his big-game temperament: 102 versus Rajasthan Royals (Pune, 2017), 102* against Sunrisers Hyderabad (Hyderabad, 2019), 119 versus Punjab Kings (Wankhede, 2021), and 102* against Delhi Capitals (Chennai, 2026). His knock against DC also added a rare CSK stat into the mix, with it being only the second IPL century by a Chennai batter against Delhi Capitals—after Murali Vijay’s 113 in 2012.
- IPL centuries: 102 vs RPS (Pune, 2017)
- IPL centuries: 102* vs SRH (Hyderabad, 2019)
- IPL centuries: 119 vs PBKS (Wankhede, 2021)
- IPL centuries: 102* vs DC (Chennai, 2026)
- Only the second CSK century against DC in IPL history, following Murali Vijay’s 113 in 2012
Stay on top of the latest IPL Live Score and IPL news for match updates, while keeping an eye on the IPL Schedule, the IPL Points Table, and the race for the Orange Cap and Purple Cap.
