Samson, Overton help Chennai Super Kings open their account

Sanju Samson’s maiden century in the Chennai Super Kings’ yellow set up the powerhouse’s first win of the season as they overcame Delhi Capitals by a 23-run margin at Chepauk. It was Samson’s first hundred of the year and also the tally-opener of IPL 2026, setting up Chennai Super Kings’ total of 212 for 2. Delhi Capitals lost regular wickets after a good start, and despite Tristan Stubbs’ fighting fifty, fell short of the target as Jamie Overton’s four-wicket haul decimated the visitors.

With a wealth of experience behind him, Samson is primed to become a bulwark at the top of the order after a sloppy start to the season. It is important that the established pros deliver the goods because Chennai Super Kings lurched through the previous edition due to a faulty engine, given the senior members adept at spearheading came up a cropper. Ravichandran Ashwin, a marquee addition at Rs 9.75 crore, returned 7 wickets in 9 outings at an economy of 9.13. Ravindra Jadeja had a quiet tournament by his standards, with both bat and ball.

Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out midway due to a hairline fracture in his elbow. In 145 balls faced, MS Dhoni could only hit a dozen fours and as many sixes, a below-par conversion rate for an experienced campaigner. His 30* off 26 balls in the pursuit of 184 against Delhi Capitals flew in the face of the modern-day batting ethos. In recent years, Chennai Super Kings have also shot themselves in the foot by failing to tailor home surfaces to their advantage.