Sanju Samson failed for the third consecutive match at the marquee Chennai Super Kings ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League season. Chasing a daunting target of 251 runs at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Samson was once again dismissed for a single-digit score as CSK slumped to their third straight defeat of the campaign.
CSK head coach Stephen Fleming defended Samson amid his poor run, saying the wicketkeeper-batsman was still settling into the team. Chennai Super Kings had to part with two of their key players, Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran, to bring in Samson from Rajasthan Royals. However, the move has yet to pay off, with the batting batter repeatedly falling to the new ball – a sharp drop from his performances in the T20 World Cup just a month ago.
WHAT HAPPENED TO SANJU SAMSON?
In the postgame press conference, Fleming said that it is difficult for any player to adjust to a new franchise after spending several years with one team.
Samson made his IPL debut in 2013 with Rajasthan Royals and rose through the ranks to become their captain before deciding to join CSK, who were looking for a long-term replacement for MS Dhoni.
“It’s tough when you’ve been with a franchise for a while, and even though he’s probably pretty comfortable, there’s still an element of belonging. He’s going through the process of bonding with this team and the team has had five or six changes, so it’s not like it’s an even side,” Fleming said.
RCB vs CSK: Scorecard | Highlighting
The head coach acknowledged that CSK are working off the field to help Samson settle into the setup and regain his confidence.
“So there’s a bit of work to be done off the field, which we’re doing, just to tighten the bonds a bit. But he’s fine. He’s fitted in really well. He’s desperate to make some runs and contribute alongside Ruturaj and the other senior players,” added Fleming.
“But then again, T20 can change quickly. We saw in the T20 World Cup what can happen and when a batsman gets going, he’s one guy who can be very dominant. He’s one guy who can be very dangerous. So Sanju will have nothing but support and confidence from us as he makes his way in yellow,” he concluded.
IPL: RCB hammer CSK in Bengaluru
Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Chennai Super Kings by 43 runs at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday, April 5. RCB posted 250 runs against the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side, the highest total of the season so far.
However, the total did not fully reflect how well CSK played the first 15 overs during which they dominated the RCB batsmen.
But the bowlers could not sustain their intensity in the final five overs, conceding 97 runs as Tim David and Rajat Patidar went on the attack. Seamer Anshul Kamboj was dismantled by David after the batsman survived a clean ball chance for a no-ball.
Fleming later regretted the moment, suggesting that it proved costly for CSK.
“It’s about execution under pressure. And against a striker like Tim David, who is very destructive, you have to be absolutely on point. And once we fell behind a little bit and he got his rhythm, and also there was no ball, so let’s not forget that there were about 40 shots. So really small margins – and with a good stopper like David, we needed to be more accurate than we were. He hurt himself in the hardest way,” Fleming said.
Chennai Super Kings now have a five-day break before their next IPL 2026. They take on Delhi Capitals on April 11 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, with Fleming hoping middle-order batsman Dewald Brevis will return for the match.
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
06 Apr 2026 08:36 IST
