NEW DELHI: Lightning-fast reflexes behind the stumps, the kind that send bails flying before the batter can react—those are skills many have long linked with MS Dhoni. On Sunday, Sanju Samson brought those memories back in style, producing a sharp stumping of Shubman Gill during the IPL 2026 match between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans.
The dismissal arrived in the seventh over of Gujarat’s chase. With CSK defending 158/7, they needed an early breakthrough. The ball drifted in on the leg side and looked, for a moment, as though it might go down the wide line. Gill went for a flick but missed, leaving Samson with a clear chance.
Samson was instantly on the move. He gathered the ball cleanly and broke the stumps in a flash, even as Gill’s foot was still in the air. The speed and precision of the finish made it a standout moment in the contest at Chepauk.
That piece of wicketkeeping electrified the crowd, with supporters erupting as Samson’s instinctive effort stirred memories of Dhoni’s signature brilliance behind the stumps.
Samson’s impact, though, was not limited to the gloves. Earlier in the innings, he also reached a major batting landmark—becoming the quickest Indian in IPL history to get to 5,000 runs when measured by balls faced. He reached the milestone by hitting Kagiso Rabada for a boundary.
However, the pacer struck back shortly after, dismissing Samson for 11.
Samson then became the 10th batter overall to cross the 5,000-run mark in IPL cricket. He achieved the feat in only 180 innings, needing 3555 deliveries to reach the tally—placing him among the quickest globally, with AB de Villiers among the names ahead of him in that comparison.
Since making his debut in 2013, Samson has turned out for Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals and CSK, gradually building a reputation for dependable performances. His name now sits in an elite group that includes Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, David Warner, KL Rahul, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni and Ajinkya Rahane.
With more than 5,000 IPL runs at a strike rate above 140, along with multiple centuries and fifties, Samson continues to reinforce his role as a dynamic and reliable top-order batter.
