New Delhi: Chennai Super Kings take to their heroes easily. This season, as they slowly come to terms with an MS Dhoni-size void, the franchise and its fanbase seem to have found another figure to pour their faith into—Sanju Samson.
As CSK defeated Delhi Capitals by eight wickets at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday night, the yellow army in Delhi had more reason to celebrate. A second successive win has kept their playoff hopes flickering, but just as importantly it has given their supporters a new face to rally around.
Dhoni, their enduring ‘Thala’, has remained sidelined with a calf injury. He did not travel for this fixture either, with his return date still uncertain. For fans outside Chennai who turn up as much for a glimpse of him as for the cricket itself, the void has been impossible to ignore.
With an unbeaten 87 (7×4, 6×6), Samson ensured CSK chased down the modest target of 156 with relative ease. Although he started slow, he found his gears in the 12th over against Kuldeep Yadav, scoring 18 runs off the wrist spinner as brought up his fifty in 32 balls.
Since then, he ensured the innings was coasting. Even T Natarajan’s second over was not spared as he took him on for 20 runs. Playing an excellent second fiddle on the other end was 19-year-old Kartik Sharma (41*), the player CSK acquired for Rs.14.2 crore in the auction ahead of IPL 2026, with whom Samson stitched an unbeaten 114-run stand.
Earlier, DC posted a 155/7 that proved far from adequate despite a slow pitch. Opener Pathum Nissanka’s struggles against spin in the Powerplay is well documented and CSK were quick to test that weakness.
Akeal Hosein was introduced early against the Sri Lankan opener, and while the spinner did not dismiss him, the tactic to introduce left-arm spin helped in slowing down DC significantly. The pressure of a sluggish start forced Nissanka into taking risks against Mukesh Choudhary in the following over, only for the opener to depart after striking a four and a six.
Two overs later, KL Rahul’s scratchy stay ended as well. Delhi once again paid the price for a poor start—a recurring theme in this IPL where teams dominating the Powerplay have largely controlled the rest of the innings. DC crawled to just 37/2 in the first six overs.
On a surface offering grip and turn, CSK’s spinners settled into their work quickly. Hosein laid the foundation before wrist spinner Noor Ahmad tightened the screws further with the wicket of Karun Nair. The decision to field the out of touch Nair proved a big mistake as he further slowed down the momentum of the innings, eventually falling for a 13-ball 13.
Nitish Rana, promoted with the intent of countering spin, also fell to Noor, while Axar Patel’s disappointing run with the bat continued with another low score.
At 69/5, Delhi were staring at a collapse, another low score before Tristan Stubbs and Sameer Rizvi stitched together a 65-run partnership. Stubbs, who had not been dismissed by spin all season, absorbed the pressure at one end, allowing Impact Player Rizvi—batting lower than usual—the freedom to rebuild patiently.
As the pitch eased slightly and Rizvi settled in, the scoring rate improved considerably. Stubbs eventually fell to Jamie Overton in the 19th over, but by then the momentum had shifted.
Anshul Kamboj, usually reliable at the death and among the tournament’s leading wicket-takers, endured an off day as Rizvi targeted him. The seamer leaked 49 runs without a wicket.
Rizvi’s unbeaten 40 transformed the innings. Walking in with DC in serious trouble, he ensured they finished with something to bowl at although it proved to be too easy for CSK.
Brief scores: DC 155/7 (S Rizvi 40*, N Ahmad 2/22). CSK 159/2 in 17.3 overs (S Samson 87*, Kartik Sharma 41*). CSK won by 8 wickets.
