A couple of weeks ago Sanju Samson could hardly put a foot wrong – scores of 97*, 89 and 89 in successive matches had underpinned India’s T20 World Cup triumph. Three IPL knocks later, all in single figures (6, 7 and 9), the Chennai Super Kings recruit was wondering if his touch had deserted him. On Friday night in Chennai he answered his own question, steering an unhurried yet commanding 115 not out from 56 balls to secure CSK’s first win of IPL 2026, a six-wicket result over Delhi Capitals.
“To be very honest, how much form you’re in, however many matches you have won for your country, a couple of failures definitely put a lot of doubts in your mind,” Samson admitted at the presentation. “But I just wanted to go back and do my basics and believe in myself and just stick to my scoring patterns.”
A century for a new club always carries extra weight and, given Samson was traded from Rajasthan Royals for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran, this one felt especially significant. “The trust they showed in me, having that trade, I think I felt I needed to put in a show,” he said. “It’s not easy to start off the tournament like this in a different franchise, but it never felt like it was a different franchise.”
Key facts first, then: CSK chased 188 with five balls to spare; Samson struck 10 fours and six sixes; only three other team-mates reached double figures, underlining how much his knock mattered. The Capitals’ seamers peppered away on a tacky surface yet rarely beat his bat once he settled. The right-hander reached fifty in 30 balls, then accelerated without looking rushed – the sort of tempo that had Wasim Jaffer enthusing pre-match, “you expect a century from Samson every time he plays”. Fellow commentator Aaron Finch agreed, adding the Kerala batter “paces his innings so well” in this format.
Still, the runs had not flowed immediately this season and Samson was candid about the internal chatter that followed. “So a lot of thoughts came. Should I go harder at the start or should I change my game plan? But I wanted to stick to what was working and luckily, it came off beautifully today,” he explained.
Asked what he actually altered, Samson said he reverted to first principles. “I have failed a lot, and that tells you how you need to come back. Mentally you think about, okay, do you need to go a bit hard, or do you need to change your game plan? … You need to bring your mind and body to the basics. I am 31 years old, and I have spent a lot of time in this sport, so I need to know what my basics are.”
Those basics, he added, include “timing the ball, just looking at the ball coming out of the bowler’s hand”. A quiet net the previous afternoon with CSK’s support staff apparently helped him rediscover that rhythm.
Celebrations were understated at first – a gentle raise of the bat, then a firm salute towards the dug-out. The gesture, he revealed, was aimed at head coach Stephen Fleming, who had faced questions after Chennai’s winless start. “That was for Fleming,” Samson said. “I know how hard it can get. I was leading a franchise for the last five years, I know how mentally challenging it can be, so I just wanted to dedicate this to our coach Fleming.”
The innings also served as a reminder of why Chennai were willing to part with two established all-rounders. Samson’s ability to anchor and accelerate is well-known, yet the responsibility of repaying a big trade can weigh heavily. A short team meeting – “50 seconds”, according to the skipper – was all the side held after their third straight defeat. The message: keep calm, trust the process. The players did, and Samson, more than anyone, showed what that can look like in practice.
There’s plenty of work left for CSK: the top order still looks brittle and the death bowling remains a question. But Samson’s century, his first for the franchise and eighth in all T20s, gives them a timely lift ahead of next week’s road trip. For the player himself, the main takeaway appears simpler: when doubts creep in, go back to basics, bat the way you know best – and, if you can, salute the coach on the way to three figures.
