New Delhi: Sanju Samson’s woeful run with the bat continued in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 on Sunday as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) suffered a 43-run defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Samson was dismissed cheaply on 9 off 5 balls in CSK’s mammoth 251-run chase, recording his third straight failure for the team this season.
Samson, who joined CSK in a trade deal from Rajasthan Royals ahead of IPL 2026, has failed to get going for his new team. The right-hander, who headed into the season on the back of a dream T20 World Cup campaign, has managed only 22 runs in three matches, highlighting his struggles.
The expectations were high from Samson, whose arrival was seen as an answer to CSK’s top-order woes from last season. The failure to nail a good opening combination saw CSK struggle throughout IPL 2025 and finish at the bottom of the table. Samson has been paired with the experienced Ruturaj Gaikwad at the top for CSK this season, however, the duo have failed to fire together.
Both Samson and Gaikwad have endured a lean patch, leading to three defeats in a row for CSK in IPL 2026. CSK head coach Stephen Fleming opened up on Samson’s struggles in the tournament so far and called for patience, stating that the star batter needs time to adjust in the new setup, having joined CSK from RR this season.
“It’s difficult when you’ve been at a franchise for some time, and even though he probably feels pretty comfortable, there’s still an element of belonging. He’s going through the process of connecting with this team, and the team has got five or six changes, so it’s not like it’s a settled side,” Fleming said on Samson’s low-key returns.
Fleming insisted that the team management is working off the field to ensure Samson can ease into the CSK setup and form a strong bond with his teammates. Gaikwad and Samson have looked far from their best in the tournament so far and have failed to stitch even a single meaningful opening stand in CSK’s first three matches in IPL 2026.
“So there’s a little bit of work to be done off the field, which we’re doing, just to make the bonds a bit tighter. But he’s fine. He’s fitted in really well. He’s desperate for some runs and to contribute, along with Ruturaj and the other senior players,” Fleming added.