The possibility of Sanju Samson playing for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season excites former India and Kolkata Knight Riders spinner Piyush Chawla.
After an outstanding T20 World Cup campaign in which he was named Player of the Tournament, Samson will enter the IPL. The right-handed hitter helped India win their third T20 championship by scoring 321 runs during the competition, including game-winning hits in the semi-final and final.
“Sanju Samson is a match-winner in himself. He proved his doubters wrong with three back-to-back impactful knocks against West Indies, England and New Zealand in the T20 World Cup. CSK will be very happy with his form because Samson has peaked right before the start of the IPL. That is great news for their fans. Coming to Chennai, the way the wicket plays there will definitely suit his game. Opening the innings, his aggressive style will benefit CSK a lot,” Chawla was quoted as speaking on JioStar.
Sanju Samson comes to solve CSK’s opening troubles
Samson’s arrival, according to Chawla, may completely change CSK’s season and provide an X-factor while opening the batter—something the five-time winners failed to do the previous time. CSK acquired Samson from Rajasthan Royal in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran in order to address their opening problems from the previous season.
“Last season, they struggled to get quick starts. Only after Ayush Mhatre arrived did CSK start scoring runs in the powerplay. Now, with Samson in, their opening problems will finally be solved. They need that experienced opener alongside Ayush Mhatre. Samson’s trade move to CSK is going to be a blockbuster one,” he added.
In 2026, CSK hopes to have an even better campaign. Ruturaj Gaikwad’s team had just eight points at the end of the previous season. On March 30 at Guwahati, the yellow team will play the Rajasthan Royals on the road to begin the 2026 season.
Chennai Super Kings Complete Schedule for IPL 2026:
| Match No. | Date | Day | Opponent | Venue |
| 3 | March 30 | Monday | Rajasthan Royals | Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati |
| 7 | April 3 | Friday | Punjab Kings | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| 11 | April 5 | Sunday | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| 18 | April 11 | Saturday | Delhi Capitals | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
