Ravichandran Ashwin fueled speculation about Sanju Samson’s role in Chennai Super Kings after he shared glimpses of the wicket-keeper batsman practicing lofty catches in the off-field without his gloves in sight.
In a post on X, Ashwin shared photos of Samson working on his hunting skills in the deep under coach James Foster. He noted that the session was not just routine warm-up catches, but specifically high balls in the deep, a detail that caught the attention of cricket fans and supporters.
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He posed the question to fans as to whether Samson could play purely as a midfielder in the upcoming season, captioning the post with the words “Indication or just gradually loosening up?”
The question has since set off a wave of speculation. WITH Samson’s trade from Rajasthan Royals to Chennai Super KingsMany fans and pundits assumed it was a natural transition with Samson taking over the wicketkeeping duties from MS Dhoni.
The 44-year-old Dhoni, who is widely expected to be in the final stretch of his IPL career, He seemed like a clear candidate to pass the gloves. But if Ashwin’s post is anything to go by, that may not be the plan at all and Dhoni could yet play a role from behind the stumps, perhaps in one final challenge for the Chennai faithful.
Samson’s World Cup Heroics Add to intrigue
Samson arrived at CSK on the back of a stunning T20 World Cup 2026 campaign where he was named Player of the tournament. Despite not featuring in every game, he proved decisive in the last three matches, all of which were must-wins for India. Under pressure each time, he scored three consecutive fifties to help India lift the trophy, firmly cementing his reputation as one of the country’s most impressive batsmen in the white-ball setting.
As a fielder, Samson is not far from responsibilities. He has long been among the most athletic and reliable in the deep, and has made some amazing catches over the years. A role as a specialist outfielder is therefore entirely plausible and would allow CSK to maximize both his batting and field presence without burdening him with guarding duties.
Samson ended his 11-year association with Rajasthan Royals as part of a high-profile trade that saw Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran go in opposite directions, a deal that underlined how highly CSK values the Kerala batter.
Chennai Super Kings will start their IPL 2026 campaign on March 30 against the very side that Samson called home for over a decade, Rajasthan Royals, at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati. It promises to be a packed event and by then the question raised by Ashwin may finally have an answer.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
22 March 2026 10:33 IST
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