Sanju Samson had the crowd on its feet. They were banging the seats, they were screaming their lungs out. That was at Chepauk just over ten days ago – he was the new hero, he had scored his first IPL 2026 century in his new yellow jersey.
On Thursday evening, he stood more than 1000 kilometres away from Chepauk, in the cauldron of the Wankhede Stadium, home to his new team’s old rivals. But if you shut your eyes as the fours and sixes reeled off Samson’s blade, you wouldn’t have known the difference: deafening chants of “CSK, CSK”, louder and louder as Samson got going with an effortless-looking flick for six early on, and continued to rise, and rise, as he scored his second century of the season. The liberal spread of yellow had given the sea of blue at Wankhede a proper run anyway.
This was the same pitch where 220 matched 224 when Mumbai Indians (MI) hosted KKR earlier this season. But it was a night that threw many more challenges at Samson than when he scored an unbeaten 115 against Delhi Capitals in Chennai.MI had their tail up after their recent win over Gujarat Titans and came out with well-laid plans. For every punch Chennai Super Kings (CSK) landed with boundaries early on, MI replied with blows of their own. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube had been struggling against spin in this IPL and the early introduction of AM Ghazanfar accounted for both. Sarfaraz Khan had started to take on Mitchell Santner, but the spinner varied his pace deftly and went through the sweep.Samson, meanwhile, had shown off a mix of delicate strokes and powerful swings to entertain the same crowd that had seen him plunder 89 against England in the T20 World Cup semi-final just last month. His soft steers were sending the ball to the boundary. His late contact after rocking on to the back foot against pace was making sure the fast bowlers’ tricks weren’t working as they desired them to. When he brought up his 26-ball fifty just past the halfway mark of the innings, with CSK going at over 11 an over with only three wickets down, he might have thought that they would target a total well beyond 200, especially if they went harder in the last phase.
But when Dewald Brevis also fell three balls after Samson got to his fifty, MI had added a new speed bump in CSK’s plans. CSK were already the second-poorest batting team when it came to striking in the death overs (17 to 20) this IPL, their finishing touches hadn’t quite landed so far and this time they had slotted in Jamie Overton at No. 7. Samson had to reassess because he couldn’t afford to take the same risks he had taken early on.
“I think right after the powerplay, I kind of knew what type of a wicket this is,” Samson said on the broadcast after the game. “And we actually kept on losing wickets here and there. Whenever we wanted to go big, I think we were losing a few wickets. So, I thought it is very important for a settled batsman to stay till the end. So, that is what I tried and that is what happened today.”
“First of all, it really feels great to score a century in Wankhede against MI. It is definitely a special moment for me and the team. I think I’ve never seen so much yellow in Wankhede ever in my life. So, I’m very grateful to play for this franchise”
Sanju Samson
From 44 off 20, Samson scored at just over a-run-a-ball for the next 16 deliveries he faced. His strike rate might have taken a hit but it didn’t waver his predatory gaze – his head under the helmet tilts downwards, but it’s deceptive; he is taking a straight hard look right at you. This time it was towards Krish Bhagat, MI’s least experienced bowler, who was given the 16th over.
When the slower ball was deposited over long-on, the fans in yellow shrieked into the ears of the fans in blue. When Samson sliced the next ball, a yorker, for four, the CSK fans held their arms up high. And when the following delivery was dispatched fine for four more and more and more yellow flags came out as the bums of those in blue flopped on the seats.
Jasprit Bumrah still had two overs to go, and while CSK may not have been thrilled to get only 12 runs off those, they at least had Samson back on strike for the last over. He was on 85 and against Bhagat.
How did Samson assess how deep he had to bat?
“I think the game tells you what to do,” he said. “I think you don’t have to come with a preconceived mindset or you don’t have to be premeditating, that this is how I play or this is what I want to do. So, with the experience which I have, I think definitely the team comes first. You can definitely say that this is the way I play. I think I can get out or I don’t get out. But the experience and the responsibility which is shown on me… It is my responsibility to understand the game situation and what the team demands and put that first. And then, plan my game plan around it. So, as I said, I definitely go with a very open mindset.
Sanju Samson gets a high-five from Hardik Pandya after his century•Associated Press
“But I think if we hadn’t lost a lot of wickets, then I would have gone a bit [harder] earlier. So, I think [after the] fall of wickets it was very important for us to close off the innings really well.”
When a six off the first ball of the 20th propelled him into the 90s, even some of the MI fans were applauding. When he smoked a six a long way over the covers, they knew there was no stopping him and the century was coming. And when he powered the last ball just beyond the rope at square leg, the entire crowd of over 28,500 stood up to give Samson an ovation. He took his helmet off with his shy smile, took a 360-degree turn to soak it all in.
“First of all, it really feels great to score a century in Wankhede against MI. It is definitely a special moment for me and the team,” he said. “I think I’ve never seen so much yellow in Wankhede ever in my life. So, I’m very grateful to play for this franchise.”
Bumrah walked across and gave Samson a hug, Hardik Pandya smacked a high five with a laugh. Every MI player took a moment out for Samson.
Most – if not all – of the fans in yellow came for MS Dhoni but in Samson and his measured knock they saw another self-effacing six-hitter in CSK’s colours, who they hope will entertain them in the years to come. The early signs are good.
Vishal Dikshit is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo
