Chennai Super Kings The head coach Stephen Fleming Has thrown his support behind the opening batsman. Sanju Samsoneven as the latter’s start to life with the franchise has come under early scrutiny in IPL 2026. Samson’s high-profile move from Rajasthan Royals Expectations were high ahead of the season, especially with CSK looking to bounce back after finishing at the bottom of the table last year. The wicketkeeper-batsman also came on the back of a brilliant run, adjudged the man of the tournament in India’s victorious 2026 T20 World Cup campaign. However, his comeback so far has been impressive. Samson has scored just 6 and 7 in his first two matches for CSK, including a low return against his former team Rajasthan Royals and another modest outing against Punjab Kings in Chepauk. Despite the slow start, Fleming dismissed concerns over Samson’s form and urged patience. “He’s not going to score every time. It’s T20 cricket, and he’s only played one today. But he’s in good form, he’s training well, and when he goes, he’s often a match-winner. So, two innings is not a concern,” Fleming told reporters after the match. Samson’s struggles at the home venue of Chennai have also come into focus. In six IPL innings at Chepauk, he has scored just 66 runs at an average of 11 and a strike rate of 100 – his lowest across all venues where he has played at least five matches. With six more games scheduled at the ground this season, CSK will hope to reverse the trend. The team itself is going through a difficult period. After a disappointing campaign last year, CSK have started IPL 2026 with back-to-back defeats and now face a tough challenge against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their next match.
