Sanju Samson scored his maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) hundred in Chennai Super Kings (CSK) colours and went on level with Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill in the list of most hundreds, after reaching the milestone in just 52 balls against Delhi Capitals on Saturday. It was also the first hundred in IPL 2026.
Having been traded from Rajasthan Royals, Samson had a tough start to his IPL journey at CSK with scores of 6, 7 and 9. This was after his T20 World Cup 2026 high, where Samson’s 97 not out, 89, 89 in the final three games powered India to the third world title in the shortest format.
On Saturday, Samson made most use of his dropped chance, to convert it into three figures, with a thick outside edge of T Natarajan. Samson’s hundred was also the second century by a CSK batter against Delhi Capitals in IPL after Murali Vijay’s 113 at the same venue in 2012.
In the process, Samson went on level with Gill, Shane Watson and David Warner, who all have four IPL hundreds hundreds to their names. The list is headed by none other than Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli (8), followed by Englishman Jos Buttler (7), Chris Gayle (6) and KL Rahul.
Samson’s first hundred in IPL came for Delhi Capitals when he scored 102 off just 63 balls against now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant in 2017. His net two centuries came in Rajasthan Royals colours – 102 not out (vs SRH, 2019) and 119 (vs PBKS, 2021). He finished unbeaten at 115 off 56 balls, studded with 15 fours and four sixes as CSK ended at 212/2 in 20 overs.
Sanju Samson breaks MS Dhoni’s record
With this hundred, Samson also broke MS Dhoni’s for most runs by a CSK wicketkeeper in IPL. Before Samson’s hundred, Dhoni held the record with a score of 84 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2019. Samson also became the ninth CSK batter to score an IPL hundred.
Before Samson, the likes of Michael Hussey, Murali Vijay, Suresh Raina, Brendon McCullum, Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway had scored hundreds for CSK in IPL. Had not Samson being dropped by Pathum Nissanka, the story could have been different for both Delhi Capitals and CSK. He also became the first batter to score IPL hundreds with three different franchises.
What did Sanju Samson say after hundred?
Speaking after the game, Samson admitted the failures in the previous three games definitely put him in doubt mentally. “I think to be very honest, I think how much ever form you are in, how much ever matches you have won for your country, a couple of failures definitely put lot of doubts in your mind,” Samson said in response to a Ravi Shastri question during the break.
“But I just wanted to go back and do my basics and believe in myself and just stick to my scoring patterns actually. So a lot of thoughts came, I think should I go harder in the start or should I change my gameplan. But I definitely want to stick to what was working and luckily it came off beautifully today.”
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