With Chennai Super Kings (CSK) posting five wins in IPL 2026 so far, Sanju Samson has been at the heart of four of them. The Rajasthan-born batter has already notched two hundreds in the season and, once again on Tuesday, underlined his value in a tense chase by remaining unbeaten on 87 off 52 balls to guide CSK to victory over Delhi Capitals (DC). The innings sparked widespread admiration across IPL circles, with former Australia captain Aaron Finch calling Samson the standout “superstar” CSK had been missing.
Finch’s comments came as he described the impact of Samson’s arrival, saying, “This is what you’re traded for and the superstar that you’ve been crying out for. So, the fact that he’s batting on a different level is great to see.” He also reflected on Samson’s rise in the aftermath of his strong run around the T20 World Cup, adding that while there is pride in his recent form, there is still pressure to make a decisive statement after moving to a new franchise—“and really lay down a marker and say ‘I’m here’.”
England’s 2019 World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan echoed that praise, insisting Samson’s stock had risen even further. Morgan said, “I didn’t think his stock could get any higher, but he’s added even more value with this innings. The level of control he brings to the dressing room reflects experience and leadership. He lets his performances do the talking.”
Morgan also highlighted Samson’s temperament during the chase, noting how he guided the situation with maturity. “It was a joy to watch him marshal the run chase like a seasoned player, leading from the front while guiding a youngster like Karthik Sharma at the other end,” Morgan added.
Former India opener Deep Dasgupta pointed to Samson’s consistency as the key difference in this phase. “This is the version of Sanju Samson we’ve been wanting to see for quite a few years now,” Dasgupta said. He explained that for a long time Samson’s brilliance often arrived in isolated bursts, saying, “So, every season you see a couple of those innings and go ‘wow, what a player!’ but then it would only end up being those couple of innings.” Dasgupta then stressed that the shift has come since the World Cup, adding, “But now, starting from the World Cup, he’s been so consistent.”
After 10 matches in IPL 2026, Samson has amassed 402 runs at an average of 57.42, striking at 167.50. He was acquired by CSK from Rajasthan Royals (RR) for Rs 18 crore ahead of the season.
