IPL 2026: Finch hails Samson's match-winning 87* for CSK vs DC

Aaron Finch praised Sanju Samson for his match-winning 87* for CSK against DC. Finch noted the immense pressure on Samson after his high-profile transfer and early struggles, hailing him for delivering a 'superstar' performance.

Former Australian captain Aaron Finch praised Sanju Samson's match-winning performance for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) after their dominant eight-wicket win over Delhi Capitals (DC) on Tuesday night in the IPL 2026. Samson was named Player of the Match for his brilliant 87* off 52 balls, which included seven fours and six sixes, guiding CSK to a comfortable chase of the 156-run target in just 17.3 overs. His composed knock led the Super Kings to a crucial victory, as they continued their campaign for the playoffs.

Finch on pressure of high-profile signing

Speaking on ESPNcricinfo's TimeOut show, Finch reflected on the pressure faced by big-name signings like Samson, especially when joining a high-profile franchise like CSK. "He missed out the first couple of games, didn't he? All of a sudden, there was a massive panic that what has CSK done?" Finch said, referring to Samson's early struggles in the tournament. "They've got Sanju Samson, and he's not performing. Two games in T20 are nothing. To go right through a season ultra-consistent is so difficult," the former Australian captain said.

Finch acknowledged the immense pressure placed on players like Samson, who are brought into a team with high expectations. Before last year's auction, the right-handed batter moved from Rajasthan Royals (RR) to CSK for ₹18 crore, while Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran moved to RR for the 2026 season.

"You probably can't underestimate the pressure on somebody going into a team like CSK. Being a huge marquee signing, particularly when you have traded someone like Jadeja out of the side as well," Finch said.

The former Australian captain pointed out that despite Samson's impressive form in the latter stages of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, the transition to CSK was always going to be challenging. "Although he [Samson] had a dream run at the end of the [T20] World Cup and then he's come in [at CSK] and missed out a couple of times, there will still be some pride and pressure," Finch said.

"There's almost some feeling that you can tend to overplay it slightly in your own head that you want to get to a new franchise and really lay down a marker and say I'm here."

Finch concluded by praising Samson for overcoming the early challenges and producing a performance that lived up to the expectations. "This is what you're traded for and the superstar that you've been crying out for. So, the fact that he's batting on a different level is great to see," Finch said.

CSK's playoff campaign

After a thumping win over the Capitals, the five-time champions CSK now sit sixth on the points table with five wins from 10 matches. (ANI)

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