Chennai Super Kings faced a setback in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2026 season as their recent trade acquisition, Sanju Samson, struggled for the third consecutive match. Despite a challenging target of 251 runs at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Samson fell for a low score once again, contributing to CSK’s third successive defeat.
CSK’s head coach, Stephen Fleming, stood by Samson, mentioning that the player was still adjusting to the team dynamics. The franchise had to let go of key players like Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to bring in Samson from the Rajasthan Royals. However, the move has not yielded results yet, with Samson consistently failing to make an impact, a notable decline from his performance in the T20 World Cup just a month earlier.
Fleming highlighted the challenges faced by players transitioning to a new franchise after being associated with one team for an extended period. Samson, who made his IPL debut with the Rajasthan Royals in 2013 and later became their captain, recently joined CSK in search of a long-term replacement for MS Dhoni.
The coach emphasized that CSK is actively supporting Samson off the field to help him settle into the team environment and regain his form. Fleming expressed confidence in Samson’s abilities and emphasized the unpredictable nature of T20 cricket, suggesting that a turnaround could happen swiftly.
In a separate match, Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured a convincing victory over Chennai Super Kings by 43 runs at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB posted a formidable total of 250 runs against CSK, the highest score of the season so far.
Despite a strong bowling performance by CSK in the initial overs, they struggled in the final five overs, conceding 97 runs as Tim David and Rajat Patidar capitalized on the situation. Fleming acknowledged the costly impact of missed opportunities under pressure against aggressive hitters like Tim David.
Chennai Super Kings now have a five-day break before their next match against Delhi Capitals on April 11, with hopes of reinforcing their middle-order batting lineup with the return of Dewald Brevis. Fleming remains optimistic about the team’s prospects moving forward in the IPL 2026 season.