It was a stage he was born to play on and an opportunity he came to relish. Chennai Super Kings signing Sanju Samson proved exactly why the franchise broke the bank for him with a spectacular century against arch-rivals Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, April 23.
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In a high-octane clash where the narrative often shifts like the Bombay sea breeze, Samson has remained a reclusive constant. While the MI spinners managed to weave a net around CSK’s top order, Samson played a knock that was part surgical precision, part brute force.
Law of the Lone Warrior
Despite the flurry of wickets at the other end, Samson refused to blink. The Super Kings found themselves in dire straits as the middle order failed to convert starts. Ruturaj Gaikwad, Dewald Brevis, Sarfaraz Khan and Jamie Overton provided fleeting cameos but none of them could provide the anchors needed to navigate the middle overs.
However, Samson was in his own zone. He dug deep into the game and ensured that CSK not only survived but thrived, pushing the total past the psychological 200-run mark. His ability to switch – respecting good deliveries from spinners before launching a late over – has confirmed his status as one of the leading T20 batsmen in the world today.
Record spree
Since his high-profile move to the Yellow Brigade, Samson has been in blistering form. It took him just seven matches to become the joint record holder for most centuries for Chennai Super Kings. In reaching the triple figure, he joined the pantheon of CSK legends including Suresh Raina, Murali Vijay, Shane Watson and current captain Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Moreover, this century elevates Samson to the upper echelons of Indian T20 history. He now sits level with Rohit Sharma for the most T20 hundreds by an Indian, trailing only Virat Kohli and young sensation Abhishek Sharma.
With the T20 World Cup heroics still fresh in fans’ minds, Samson’s transition to the CSK yellow has been seamless. If Thursday night was any indication, the ‘Samson era’ in Chennai is just beginning.
Sanju Samson’s Hundred vs MI: In Stats
Most centuries in the IPL
- Virat Kohli: 8
- Jos Buttler: 7
- Chris Gayle: 6
- KL Rahul: 5
- Sanju Samson: 5*
Most hundreds for CSK
- Sanju Samson: 2 (in just 7 innings)
- SR Watson: 2nd
- RD Gaikwad: 2nd
- M Vijay: 2nd
- SK Raina: 2
Most T20 centuries among Indians
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- Virat Kohli: 9
- Abhishek Sharma: 9th
- Rohit Sharma: 8
- Sanju Samson: 8*
– The end
Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
23 Apr 2026 21:45 IST
