Former Indian cricketer Anil Kumble has lauded Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) decision to trade in Sanju Samson ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auctions, stating that he perfectly fits the team’s requirements. Samson, who was acquired from the Rajasthan Royals, is set to don the iconic yellow jersey.
Meanwhile, Sam Curran and Ravindra Jadeja were also part of key trade moves involving the inaugural champions. Samson had been the face of RR for over a decade, representing the franchise across 11 seasons. He recalled many veterans' contributions in World Cups and emphasised that Samson’s Kerala roots, ability to speak Tamil, and overall maturity make him a natural fit for CSK.
"Icons from one generation to another, the baton has passed on in Indian cricket, from Sunil Gavaskar to Sachin, then to Virat, with MS Dhoni also part of that era. You had the likes of Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly before the shift to MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, who still carry that aura and continue to perform. In that sense, Sanju coming in is a great move for CSK. The icing on the cake is his fantastic form leading into the IPL and winning the World Cup for India with three back-to-back knocks," Kumble said on JioStar. "I'm sure that will certainly contribute to the franchise's fan following. From a Chennai perspective, he fits their need, being Kerala-born, speaks Tamil, so there's a connect, a wicketkeeper-batter, so in a similar mould to MS, and his experience will be valuable for CSK," he added.
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Kumble believes that Samson is well-suited for a potential vice-captaincy role at CSK, given his prior leadership experience with RR. He also added that it would not come as a surprise if Samson takes over the wicketkeeping duties from MS Dhoni during IPL 2026.