IPL 2026: Sanju Samson's arrival bolsters CSK's sixth title chase

Ahead of IPL 2026, Piyush Chawla praises Sanju Samson's move to CSK, stating his aggressive opening style will solve their powerplay issues. Irfan Pathan adds that Samson's arrival will also ease pressure on captain Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will enter the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 chasing a record sixth title, bolstered by Sanju Samson's arrival, and the former Indian cricketer Piyush Chawla believes that 'Samson's aggressive style will benefit CSK a lot'.

Chawla on Samson Solving Opening Challenge

Speaking on JioHotstar, the former leg-spinner Chawla highlighted how the inclusion of Sanju Samson solves CSK's opening challenge. He said, "Sanju Samson is a match-winner in himself. He proved his doubters wrong with three back-to-back impactful knocks against West Indies, England and New Zealand in the T20 World Cup. CSK will be very happy with his form because Samson has peaked right before the start of the IPL. That is great news for their fans. Coming to Chennai, the way the wicket plays there will definitely suit his game. Opening the innings, his aggressive style will benefit CSK a lot."

"Last season, they struggled to get quick starts. Only after Ayush Mhatre arrived did CSK start scoring runs in the Powerplay. Now, with Samson in, their opening problems will finally be solved. They need that experienced opener alongside Ayush Mhatre. Samson's trade move to CSK is going to be a blockbuster one," he said.

The Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side finished at the bottom of the points table last season after a paltry start to their campaign. But, they have formed a strong side in the mini-auction and are hopeful for a record sixth title this year.

Easing Pressure off Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan also echoed the same emotions and explained how Sanju Samson's arrival could ease the pressure off Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. He said, "Sanju Samson's arrival at CSK will allow Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad to express himself a bit more. We have seen him grow as a leader. It is not easy leading in the IPL while also taking forward the legacy of MS Dhoni. That is one of the toughest things to do in your career. But Dhoni's support, along with the help Sanju Samson brings, will always benefit Ruturaj."

A Shift in CSK's 'Success Mantra'

"Looking at the squad and imagining the playing combination are two different things. CSK's success mantra in the past was to bank on experienced players. Now, they have made a change in approach and are going for younger, less experienced players. They are building for the future, too. But there are still exciting players in the team like Dewald Brevis, Urvil Patel, Shivam Dube and Sarfaraz Khan. I want to see how they go about their business this season," Pathan said. (ANI)

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