Chennai Super Kings goalkeeper Sanju Samson leaves the ground after losing his wicket (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming has backed opening batsman Sanju Samson even as his start to life with the franchise soon came under scrutiny in IPL 2026.Samson’s high-profile move from Rajasthan Royals ahead of the season brought considerable expectations, especially with CSK looking to bounce back after finishing bottom of the table last year. The wicketkeeper-batsman has also arrived on the back of a stellar run, after being named the player of the tournament in India’s victorious T20 World Cup 2026 campaign.
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Stephen Fleming on CSK’s overhaul, pressure player rule and impact on bowling However, his returns so far have been underwhelming. Samson scored just 6 and 7 in his first two appearances for CSK, including a low return against his former team Rajasthan Royals and another modest outing at Chepauk against Punjab Kings.Despite the slow start, Fleming dismissed concerns about Samson’s form and called for patience. “He’s not going to score every time. It’s T20 cricket and he scored one today. But he’s in good form. He’s training well. And when he comes on, he’s often a match-winner. So two innings doesn’t define the area of interest,” Fleming told reporters after the match.Samson’s matches at home venue Chennai also came into limelight. In six IPL innings at Chepauk, he scored just 66 runs at an average of 11 and a success rate of 100 – his lowest at any venue where he played at least five matches. With six more matches scheduled at the ground this season, CSK will be hoping to reverse the trend.
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The team itself is going through a difficult phase. After a disappointing campaign last year, CSK started IPL 2026 with back-to-back defeats and now face a tough challenge against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their next match.
