Chennai Super Kings' captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has praised batter Sanju Samson, calling him the backbone of Chennai Super Kings’ batting. Gaikwad's praise comes after Samson delivered a splendid, unbeaten 87 that anchored CSK’s chase against Delhi Capitals, guiding his side to a comfortable eight-wicket victory. Gaikwad showed great awareness of the match situation, absorbing the pressure and responding with authority. His latest knock marked his third score above 80 in IPL 2026 for his new franchise. Samson's current form traces back to his outstanding performances in the latter stages of the 2026 T20 World Cup, where he played a key role in India’s title-winning campaign.
“On the batting side, I would say I mean, more than grateful to have Sanju in the side after the tournament he had even in the World Cup and even now. So obviously he's (the) backbone now,” Ruturaj said at the post-match presentation.
“But bowling is something which wins you tournaments. And you obviously, to have Akeal and Jamie do that job where, you know, everyone is going for more than 10s or 12s. They're just coming in silently and doing the job. That gives you a lot of confidence," Gaikwad said.
For CSK, the victory came at the right time, as they now have strengthened their chances for playoffs. Meanwhile, speaking on his partnership with Samson, Gaikwad said that they don't really plan much.
"We don't really plan; we just kind of let each other know what exactly is happening and how we can assess and how we can move forward. That's the only talk. After that, it is more about how the over is going and how the match is progressing. So the talk is very less, more often than not, you rely on yourself to do the job. So definitely he's doing the job for me, so I'm really happy," he said.