There was no extravagant, fist-pumping celebration. It would have been very uncharacteristic of Sanju Samson, though. The beaming smile on his face reflected nothing more than a sigh of relief. The century — his fourth in the IPL — came after a string of low scores for Chennai Super Kings, which had begun to raise concerns. But the Chepauk crowd finally saw their new hero rise. They were on their feet, roaring as Samson removed his helmet and raised his bat.
The India batter, who just a month earlier had produced a stellar showing in national colours to help India lift the T20 World Cup at home, then made a doffing-your-hat gesture and pointed it towards the Chennai dugout.
Who was it for?
Fans wondered, and so did the broadcasters, when he collected the Player of the Match award after Chennai’s 23-run win against Delhi Capitals. Samson revealed it was for head coach Stephen Fleming.
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“That was for Fleming. I think I know how hard it can get. Having led a franchise for the last five years, I understand how mentally challenging it can be. So I just wanted to dedicate this to our coach,” he said.
How did Samson perform in IPL 2026?
The wicketkeeper-batter arrived in Chennai following a high-profile trade deal with Rajasthan Royals. The inaugural champions received Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran in return, as Samson joined CSK at his existing league fee of INR 18 crore.
Samson was seen as the rightful successor to MS Dhoni — the figure Chennai had long been searching for. The 31-year-old not only brought a wealth of experience as a player and leader, but also commanded a certain aura and fan following that has endured through a turbulent career.
However, Samson had a rough start to the season, including a modest debut where he was dismissed for 6 off 7 balls. In his first three matches, he managed just 22 runs, raising questions over his form.
But Fleming had backed him after his dismissal for nine in the previous game against RCB, and Samson repaid that faith in style, becoming the first centurion of the season. He scored an unbeaten 115 to power Chennai to 212 for 2.
Delhi were restricted to 189, as Chennai registered their first win of the season after three straight losses.
“It’s not easy to start a tournament like this with a new franchise, but it never felt like a different team. It feels like another home. Everyone is so welcoming, calm and relaxed. Even after losing three games in a row, we had just a 50-second meeting today. That shows how relaxed the environment is, and it really suits who I am. I’m very happy to be here,” Samson added.