Sanju Samson has moved into a rarefied company of elite IPL run-makers after delivering a decisive 87 not out against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. His knock helped him join the same conversation as Virat Kohli and KL Rahul—batters who have previously piled up staggering totals against a single opposition side in one IPL campaign.
Samson, now featuring in IPL 2026 after a landmark trade worth Rs 18 crore that shifted him from Rajasthan Royals to Chennai Super Kings, is currently placed among the tournament’s leading five run-getters. With 402 runs from 10 matches at an average of 57.42, he remains very much in the Orange Cap hunt. In Tuesday’s encounter versus Delhi Capitals, Samson struck again in high-pressure fashion, smashing an unbeaten 87 off 52 balls to claim the Player of the Match award.
Beyond the match-winning contribution, Samson also etched his name into IPL history. He became the first batter to be involved in two separate 100-plus partnerships against Delhi Capitals within the same season. Earlier in the campaign, he had already notched his maiden century of IPL 2026, producing 115 not out against Delhi Capitals at Chennai. That innings brought his total against DC to 202 runs for the season, which stands as the third-highest aggregate by any batter versus a single opponent across one IPL edition. Only Kohli and Rahul have surpassed those marks in the same kind of head-to-head seasonal domination.
Virat Kohli leads the list with 209 runs versus Gujarat Lions in IPL 2016, including two centuries, in a year that ultimately became his record-breaking campaign of 973 runs from 16 innings. KL Rahul is next with 206 runs against Mumbai Indians in IPL 2022 while playing for Lucknow Super Giants, where he struck twin centuries against MI in that same season.
Top totals versus one opponent in a single IPL season
- 209 — Virat Kohli vs Gujarat Lions (2016) (100* & 109)
- 206 — KL Rahul vs Mumbai Indians (2022) (103* & 103*)
- 202 — Sanju Samson vs Delhi Capitals (2026) (115* & 87*)
- 196 — Chris Gayle vs Pune Warriors India (2013) (175* & 21)
- 193 — KL Rahul vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (2020) (132* & 61*)
Chennai Super Kings also made sure Samson’s form translated into points. CSK kept their playoff chances alive with a commanding eight-wicket win over Delhi Capitals at the same venue. After restricting Delhi to 155/7 on a pitch that offered little rhythm for batting, CSK’s chase was set up by disciplined spells from Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmad. The hosts then reached the target with ease in 17.3 overs.
Delhi Capitals briefly threatened after some resistance from Sameer Rizvi and Tristan Stubbs, but the innings slipped away quickly as they crumbled to 69/5 and never managed a meaningful recovery. In the chase, Samson once again took control, remaining unbeaten on 87 off 52 balls, while Kartik Sharma proved crucial in keeping the momentum steady. Together, they forged an uninterrupted 114-run stand, steering CSK to victory without the need for late-game drama.
The result moved Chennai Super Kings to fifth place in the IPL standings, while Delhi Capitals inched closer to elimination. With Samson continuing to rack up runs and CSK defending their playoff path with wins, the race for end-of-season milestones is gathering pace across the league.
