Former Indian cricketer Anil Kumble has praised the trade-in decision of Chennai Super Kings (CSK). sanju samson Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction, he said that he fits the team's requirements perfectly. Samson, who was bought from Rajasthan Royals, is set to wear the iconic yellow jersey.
Meanwhile, Sam Curran and Ravindra Jadeja were also part of major trade moves involving the inaugural champions. Samson was the face of RR for over a decade, representing the franchise in 11 seasons. He recalled the contributions of several stalwarts in the World Cup and stressed that Samson's Kerala roots, ability to speak Tamil and overall maturity make him a natural fit for CSK.
“Icons in Indian cricket from one generation to the next, from Sunil Gavaskar to Sachin, then to Virat, MS Dhoni has also been a part of that era. Before the change in MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, you had players like Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly, who still retain that aura and continue to perform. In that sense, Sanju's arrival is a great step for CSK. The icing on the cake is his brilliant form, leading the IPL and winning three consecutive The World Cup is winning for India with matches,” Kumble said on JioStar.
“I'm sure it will definitely contribute to the franchise's fan following. From Chennai's point of view, he suits their needs, being born in Kerala, speaks Tamil, so there's a connect, is a wicketkeeper-batsman, so similar to MS, and his experience will be valuable for CSK,” he said.
Kumble believes that Samson is suitable for a potential vice-captaincy role at CSK given his prior leadership experience with RR. He also said that it would not be a surprise if Samson takes over the wicketkeeping duties from MS Dhoni during IPL 2026.
“I think it's the perfect role for Sanju, who is handling those responsibilities almost like a vice-captain. He has captained Rajasthan for a long time, so the leadership role comes naturally to him, and that's something that CSK will be looking for. Last year, when Ruturaj was injured, MS had to take over the captaincy, and earlier, when Ravindra Jadeja was also the captain, MS Dhoni took over the captaincy midway through the season. There were some challenges in identifying who will be the next captain for MS, Kumble said, adding that it is good that Sanju will remain the captain.
He said, “I wouldn't be surprised if MS Dhoni gives Sanju the keeping role at some point during the season. He will be part of the leadership group, and if Ruturaj is unavailable due to injury or any other reason, Sanju will probably take over the responsibility instead of MS.”
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