Like MS Dhoni All those years ago, the Kerala cricketer has made a glorious entry into the franchise after his heroics. T20 World Cup. However, his first task will be to revive Chennai’s fortunes through consistency with the bat.It was a game against Zimbabwe in the recently concluded T20 World Cup. Sanju Samsonwho had just returned to India’s playing XI at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium, was asked about his “new home” after the match. The reference was, of course, to the transfer of the wicketkeeper-batter. Chennai Super Kings from Rajasthan Royals In the Indian Premier League (IPL).Go beyond limits with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!“I am very excited about it, but right now I have other priorities. When the time comes, I will wait for it,” said Sanju.After that game, Samson played three match-winning knocks for India in the next three games, and won the Man of the Tournament award as India won the World Cup. Now, he has come to Chennai as the toast of the nation to signal another IPL season.
It is similar to how MS Dhoni made a grand entrance in Chennai as the captain of CSK after leading India to the 2007 T20 World Cup title all those years ago. Even then, the franchise owners missed no opportunity to cash in on Dhoni’s growing popularity. It was a move that shaped CSK and IPL history.Now, as Dhoni’s long career draws to a close, a new hero is emerging. No, Sanju is not the new captain of CSK. It also does not have the responsibility of establishing the franchise as a brand. But there is another challenge for the Rajnikath fan from Kerala – to re-establish CSK’s supremacy as a powerhouse in the IPL.The last couple of years have been rough for the five-time champions. They failed to make it to the last four stages of the tournament. While fans still flock to Chepauk on match days just to catch a glimpse of Dhoni hitting a couple of sixes or showing off his skills with the gloves, there is a growing sense of disillusionment with the team’s performance.
The move to draft Sanju was indeed a desperate move to set CSK’s house in order. They had flirted with some other established Indian names as replacements for Dhoni’s long-term wicket-keeper batsman over the years, but those moves didn’t quite pan out. Once it became clear after last season that Sanju wanted to leave RR, CSK didn’t want to miss the chance.The Super Kings don’t have the firepower at the top of the order and Samson has solved some puzzles. As per indications, Sanju will open the batting along with Ayush Mahatre as captain. Rituraj Gaikwad Number 3 will come. The right-hander, whose best year in the IPL for Rajasthan Royals was 2024 when he scored 531 runs at a strike rate of 153.46, will look to recreate a similar spell in his first year for his new franchise.What might work for Sanju in Chennai is that he will come into this IPL as a free man without any burdens. For years he has been trying to prove himself as an international cricketer. In the past, it has always been in his mind that a bad IPL could dampen his India dreams.After recent heroics in the T20 World Cup, though, those fears will be eased. Sanju has nothing left to prove his place in India. Given the nature of his free-flowing batting style, easing off the pressure could give him the freedom to express himself and give CSK the rolling start that day after day starts.While this is part of the deal, the 31-year-old also has to take care of the wicket-keeping responsibilities. It is almost an open secret that this will be Dhoni’s last year. CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan has hinted that the legend might not be playing all the games.In all likelihood, Sanju will keep wickets in most of the games, unless of course the team needs Dhoni’s on-field tactical skills to get out of a tough corner. Sanju, on his part, has already discussed with Dhoni how to go about the task.“I have spoken to Mahi Bhai on the phone and had a chat with him. It will be great to play with him as part of the team. I see it as an opportunity to learn from him,” Samson told reporters after winning the World Cup. Sanju added, “Whenever he calls or we meet, there’s always something good. But to be in the team with him for two months and see how he approaches cricket and prepares for games, it will be very rewarding for me.”From Dhoni to icon, especially in Chennai, one must go beyond the cricket field. The 42-year-old, over the past two decades, has become a cultural icon, ‘Thala’, to his fans. To Sanju’s advantage, he already has a strong fan base in the city courtesy of a large Malayali population in Chennai.Many of them were Rajasthan Royals fans but now they have started switching loyalties. The fact that Sanju speaks the local language and has been coming to the city since childhood will help him build an instant rapport with the Tamil population. But then, they will need one key ingredient to win and produce the brilliance that comes close to Dhoni – performance.After the World Cup, there is growing confidence in Chennai that the soft-spoken cricketer will deliver as expected. The ball is well and truly in Sanju’s court.
