India’s wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson is set to play for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season, starting March 28.

Ahead of the IPL 2026 retention deadline last November, Samson was traded to CSK by Rajasthan Royals (RR), who got Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran in exchange.

Samson will enter the 19th edition of IPL on the back of strong performances in the recently held T20 World Cup, earning him the Player-of-the-Tournament award. He finished as the competition’s third highest run-getter with 321 runs from just five innings at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate of 199.37.

The Kerala lad produced a match-winning 97* (50 balls) in the virtual quarterfinal against the West Indies, an attacking 89 (42 balls) against England in the semifinal, and another 89 (46 balls) in the final against New Zealand, powering India to a record third T20 World Cup title.

Speaking on JioStar, legendary spinner Anil Kumble opined that Sanju’s arrival reflects a wider transition in Indian cricket leadership, while also bolstering CSK’s squad. He highlighted Samson’s recent form and confidence as key positives heading into the IPL.

“Icons from one generation to another, the baton has passed on in Indian cricket, from Sunil Gavaskar to Sachin, then to Virat, with MS Dhoni also part of that era. You had the likes of Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly before the shift to MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, who still carry that aura and continue to perform. In that sense, Sanju coming in is a great move for CSK. The icing on the cake is his fantastic form leading into the IPL and winning the World Cup for India with three back-to-back knocks,” Kumble said.

Kumble believes Samson is a perfect fit for CSK due to his stellar form, experience, wicketkeeping, and ability to connect with fans of this region.

“I’m sure that will certainly contribute to the franchise’s fan following. From a Chennai perspective, he fits their need, being Kerala-born, speaks Tamil, so there’s a connect, a wicketkeeper-batter, so in a similar mould to MS, and his experience will be valuable for CSK,” he said.

Sanju Samson’s record as RR skipper is 33 wins and 33 losses in 67 matches, making him the most successful captain for the franchise. Under his leadership, the team reached their first IPL final since 2008 in 2022 and also qualified for the playoffs twice.

While Ruturaj Gaikwad remains captain, Kumble suggests Samson will play a major role in the leadership group, and could potentially take the gloves from Dhoni at some point.

“I think that’s the perfect role for Sanju, handling those responsibilities almost like a vice-captain. He has captained Rajasthan for a long period of time, so that leadership role comes naturally to him, and that’s something CSK will be looking for. Last year, when Ruturaj was injured, MS had to take over, and previously, when Ravindra Jadeja was also captain, MS Dhoni came back in as captain midway through the season. So there have been some challenges in identifying who the next captain would be for MS.”

“Ruturaj was identified, and it is good that he continues as captain despite Sanju coming into the scheme of things. I wouldn’t be surprised if MS Dhoni gives Sanju the keeping role at some point during the season. He will be part of the leadership group, and in case if Ruturaj is unavailable due to injury or otherwise, Sanju would probably take over rather than MS,” Kumble remarked.