Sanju Samson’s poor form continues unabated as he plays for the Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026.
While chasing a massive target against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Samson once again fell cheaply.
Although he did manage to hit a six, he could not last much longer at the crease and returned to the pavilion after scoring just 9 runs.
Disappointing start for CSK
Setting out to chase a colossal target of 251 runs, the Chennai Super Kings got off to a very poor start. The team lost three key wickets within the first three overs.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ayush Mhatre, and Sanju Samson were all dismissed early and headed back to the pavilion.
Samson’s wicket was claimed by Jacob Duffy. Samson played a loose shot outside off stump; the ball took the edge of his bat and flew straight into the hands of Devdutt Padikkal, who was stationed at slip.
As soon as the wicket fell, Duffy appeared visibly delighted, while for CSK fans and the team management, it came as a major blow.
This was Samson’s third match of the season, and his performance has been disappointing in all three outings. In his first three matches, he has scored just 6, 7, and 9 runs respectively.
Notably, there were high expectations this time around from Samson, who had recently delivered a stellar performance in the T20 World Cup.
In that tournament, he had amassed 321 runs across 5 innings and was even named the ‘Player of the Tournament.’
Tim David and RCB batsmen played a stormy innings
In this match, the RCB batsmen adopted an aggressive approach right from the start.
Devdutt Padikkal batted brilliantly, scoring a half-century and providing the team with a solid foundation. Subsequently, Captain Rajat Patidar and Tim David accelerated the innings rapidly.
In the final five overs, RCB smashed a staggering 97 runs. Tim David was particularly explosive in the 19th over, smashing 30 runs off Jamie Overton, including four sixes in that very over.
Thanks to this blistering batting display, RCB posted the highest total of the 2026 IPL season so far in this match.
Faced with such a massive chase, the CSK team appeared under pressure right from the start.
Following the loss of early wickets, it seemed increasingly difficult for the team to stage a comeback in the match.
Although Sarfaraz Khan batted aggressively to score 50 runs off just 24 balls, CSK’s troubles compounded further after his dismissal.
Following this match, the pressure on Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad is also likely to intensify, as the team appears to be heading towards its third consecutive defeat.
