Chennai Super Kings’ player Sanju Samson revealed that a short period of poor performance can lead to self-doubt but credited his return to basics for his outstanding 115 runs off 56 balls against Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2026 match at MA Chidambaram Stadium. Samson, known for his crucial role in India’s 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup triumph, had faced a series of low scores at the beginning of IPL 2026 after joining CSK last year. However, he showcased brilliant stroke-play, hitting 15 fours and four sixes at a strike-rate of 205.36 during the match.
Samson, who became the first wicketkeeper-batter to score a century for CSK, also achieved the feat of scoring a hundred for three different IPL teams – DC, RR, and CSK, following KL Rahul. Expressing his gratitude towards Ravi Shastri, Samson acknowledged the impact of self-doubt after a few failures but emphasized the importance of sticking to his basics and trusting his abilities and game plan. He highlighted the challenging conditions at Chepauk initially, especially during the Power-play, which eased up as the game progressed.
Reflecting on the team’s strategy in setting a total in modern T20 cricket, Samson emphasized the need for an aggressive and open-minded approach once a player is well-set. He stressed the importance of aiming for a high score and contributing effectively to the team’s total. Samson also expressed confidence in CSK’s bowling unit to defend the substantial target, provided they make early breakthroughs in the second innings.
