Gaikwad Confirms Samson as CSK’s Opening Partner for IPL 2026
CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad confirmed at the Captains Day event in Mumbai that he will open the batting with Sanju Samson in IPL 2026, keeping it simple with just two words: “Rutu and Sanju.”
Samson arrives at CSK after being traded from Rajasthan Royals — where he spent 11 seasons — in a deal that sent Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran the other way. He comes in red-hot form, having been named Player of the Tournament at the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, where he racked up 321 runs in just five innings at a strike rate nearing 200.
The decision pushes 18-year-old Ayush Mhatre down the order, despite him scoring 240 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 188.97 while opening in IPL 2025. Former CSK spinner Ravichandran Ashwin backed the Gaikwad-Samson pairing, saying: “There is pedigree with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson — pedigree means making quality runs and sustaining that over a period of time.”
CSK open their IPL 2026 campaign against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on March 30, looking to bounce back after finishing last in the 2025 standings.