Sanju Samson is CSK's backbone: Ruturaj Gaikwad grateful after star opener sinks DC
IPL 2026: Sanju Samson struck an unbeaten 87 as Chennai Super Kings beat Delhi Capitals by eight wickets in Delhi. The win kept CSK in the playoff race and prompted Ruturaj Gaikwad to call him the backbone of the batting line-up.
Sanju Samson’s move to Chennai Super Kings already looks like one of the stories of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. On Tuesday night in Delhi, the wicketkeeper-batter once again showed exactly why he has become so important to the side, smashing an unbeaten 87 to guide CSK to a comfortable eight-wicket win over Delhi Capitals.
The knock not only kept CSK firmly alive in the playoff race, but also left captain Ruturaj Gaikwad openly calling Samson the “backbone” of the batting lineup after another match-winning effort from the star batter.
IPL, DC vs CSK: UPDATES | SCORECARD
“On the batting side, I would say, I mean, more than grateful to have Sanju in the side after the tournament he had even in the World Cup and even now. So obviously he's backbone now,” Ruturaj said at the post-match presentation.
“But bowling is something which wins you tournaments. And, you obviously, to have Akeal and Jamie do that job where, you know, everyone is going for more than 10s or 12s. They're just coming in silently and doing the job.”
The praise felt fully earned.
Chasing a modest 155, CSK never really looked under pressure. Samson controlled the innings beautifully, while Delhi once again struggled to create pressure with either the ball or field placements.
The result pushed CSK to 10 points from 10 matches and suddenly tightened the playoff race even further.
HOW HAS SANJU SAMSON BEEN IN IPL 2026?
This season is slowly turning into one of Samson’s best IPL campaigns.
After finishing the 2026 T20 World Cup as the player of the tournament for India, he has carried the same form straight into CSK colours. Tuesday’s unbeaten 87 against DC was already his third score above 80 this season.
And the pattern around his performances is becoming impossible to ignore.
Whenever Samson has crossed 40 in IPL 2026, CSK have gone on to win the match. That is not just good form anymore, it is proper match-winning consistency.
What has stood out most is the way he has handled chases. Against Delhi, he controlled the innings perfectly, never letting the asking rate become a problem while still scoring quickly enough to kill the contest early.
Earlier this season too, he had smashed an unbeaten century against the same opposition in Chennai.
HOW CSK DEFEATED DC
Delhi’s innings never really took off despite batting first.
CSK’s bowlers quietly controlled the middle overs once again, with Akeal Hosein and Jamie Overton doing an excellent job of slowing things down when DC were looking for momentum.
The hosts eventually managed only 156 for 7, a score Axar Patel later admitted was at least 10-15 runs short.
Once the chase started, CSK never looked uncomfortable.
Samson anchored the innings calmly while the rest of the batting lineup played around him smartly. Delhi’s bowlers struggled to create scoreboard pressure and the chase slowly turned into a one-sided finish.
By the end, Chennai walked away with a comfortable eight-wicket win and suddenly looked very alive again in the playoff race.
IPL 2026 | IPL Schedule | IPL Points Table | IPL Player Stats | Purple Cap | Orange Cap | IPL Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
Sanju Samson’s move to Chennai Super Kings already looks like one of the stories of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. On Tuesday night in Delhi, the wicketkeeper-batter once again showed exactly why he has become so important to the side, smashing an unbeaten 87 to guide CSK to a comfortable eight-wicket win over Delhi Capitals.
The knock not only kept CSK firmly alive in the playoff race, but also left captain Ruturaj Gaikwad openly calling Samson the “backbone” of the batting lineup after another match-winning effort from the star batter.
IPL, DC vs CSK: UPDATES | SCORECARD
“On the batting side, I would say, I mean, more than grateful to have Sanju in the side after the tournament he had even in the World Cup and even now. So obviously he's backbone now,” Ruturaj said at the post-match presentation.
“But bowling is something which wins you tournaments. And, you obviously, to have Akeal and Jamie do that job where, you know, everyone is going for more than 10s or 12s. They're just coming in silently and doing the job.”
The praise felt fully earned.
Chasing a modest 155, CSK never really looked under pressure. Samson controlled the innings beautifully, while Delhi once again struggled to create pressure with either the ball or field placements.
The result pushed CSK to 10 points from 10 matches and suddenly tightened the playoff race even further.
HOW HAS SANJU SAMSON BEEN IN IPL 2026?
This season is slowly turning into one of Samson’s best IPL campaigns.
After finishing the 2026 T20 World Cup as the player of the tournament for India, he has carried the same form straight into CSK colours. Tuesday’s unbeaten 87 against DC was already his third score above 80 this season.
And the pattern around his performances is becoming impossible to ignore.
Whenever Samson has crossed 40 in IPL 2026, CSK have gone on to win the match. That is not just good form anymore, it is proper match-winning consistency.
What has stood out most is the way he has handled chases. Against Delhi, he controlled the innings perfectly, never letting the asking rate become a problem while still scoring quickly enough to kill the contest early.
Earlier this season too, he had smashed an unbeaten century against the same opposition in Chennai.
HOW CSK DEFEATED DC
Delhi’s innings never really took off despite batting first.
CSK’s bowlers quietly controlled the middle overs once again, with Akeal Hosein and Jamie Overton doing an excellent job of slowing things down when DC were looking for momentum.
The hosts eventually managed only 156 for 7, a score Axar Patel later admitted was at least 10-15 runs short.
Once the chase started, CSK never looked uncomfortable.
Samson anchored the innings calmly while the rest of the batting lineup played around him smartly. Delhi’s bowlers struggled to create scoreboard pressure and the chase slowly turned into a one-sided finish.
By the end, Chennai walked away with a comfortable eight-wicket win and suddenly looked very alive again in the playoff race.
IPL 2026 | IPL Schedule | IPL Points Table | IPL Player Stats | Purple Cap | Orange Cap | IPL Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
