Chennai Super Kings will enter the upcoming Indian Premier League 2026 season with hopes of securing a record sixth position. IPL With the title in the offing, the five-time champions have strengthened their squad. Sanju Samsonand former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan He believes the support of Dhoni and Samson can play a major role in CSK’s campaign.
Irfan Pathan: Samson’s presence will ease the pressure on Rituraj Gaikwad.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan opined on how Samson’s arrival could benefit CSK captain Rutoraj Gaikwad.
“Sanju Samson’s arrival in CSK will give captain Rituraj Gaekwad a chance to prove himself a bit more. We have seen him grow as a leader. It is not easy to lead in the IPL while also carrying forward MS Dhoni’s legacy. It is one of the hardest things to do in your career. But Dhoni’s support, along with help,” said Sanju Samson.Pathan also pointed out that CSK seem to be moving away from their traditional strategy of relying heavily on experienced players.“Looking at the squad and envisioning the playing mix are two different things. CSK’s success mantra in the past was to rely on experienced players. Now, they have changed the approach and are going for younger, less experienced players. They are also building for the future,” he added.He also expressed his excitement about the young talent in the squad which includes David Bruce, Arul Patel, Shivam Dubey and Sarfraz Khan.
Piyush Chawla Supports Samson’s aggressive batting.
Chawla also described Samson as a natural match winner who has silenced his detractors with impressive performances in recent matches. “Sanju Samson is a match-winner in his own right. He proved his doubters wrong with three back-to-back impressive innings against the West Indies, England and New Zealand in the T20 World Cup. CSK will be delighted with his form as Samson has peaked even before the start of the IPL. This is great news for his fans,” said Chawla.He added that Chennai’s pitch conditions could help Samson flourish at the top of the order.“After coming to Chennai, the way the wicket plays there will definitely suit his game. Opening the innings, his aggressive approach will be of great benefit to CSK.”Samson can solve CSK’s opening problems.The former spinner also highlighted how CSK struggled to get off to a fast start in the previous IPL season.“Last season, they struggled to get off to a fast start. It was only after Ayush Mahatre came in that CSK started scoring runs in the powerplay. Now, with Samson, their opening problems will finally be solved. They need an experienced opener with Ayush Mahatre. Samson’s trade move to CSK is going to be a blockbuster,” Chawla said.
CSK is aiming for a record sixth IPL title.
After finishing at the bottom of the table last season, CSK will be eager to make a strong comeback in IPL 2026. With a refreshed squad and Samson’s attacking presence at the top of the order, the Chennai-based franchise will hope to rediscover their winning formula and mount a strong challenge for the title.
