The Chennai Super Kings have yet to register their maiden victory in IPL 2026, but there was some encouraging display by their side against Delhi Capitals in the last game. The Chennai Super Kings went down against Delhi despite a fantastic display from the bat which helped their side post a decent score since they batted first.

 

Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has been a disappointing performer this season, could not contribute to his side at the top of the order once again. They were under pressure at the start of their innings due to their poor show this time in their matches.

 

Samson's brilliant hundred lifts CSK

 

Sanju Samson answered all questions with a stunning knock. He stayed not out till the end and scored 115 runs from just 56 balls. His innings included 15 fours and 4 sixes, and he batted with great control from start to finish. He maintained a strike rate which exceeded 200 during his entire batting performance.

 

The innings held great significance for both Samson and CSK. After moving from Rajasthan Royals before the season, there were high expectations from him. This knock will give him a lot of confidence going forward. CSK reached a high total of 212 runs because of his effort which provided their bowlers a chance to defend the score.

 

Also Read | IPL 2026: Sanju Samson Breaks Multiple Records with Stunning 115 vs DC at Chepauk

 

Why Kartik Sharma kept wickets

 

Samson had performed strongly with his batting yet he did not begin the second innings as wicketkeeper. The team assigned wicketkeeping duties to young Kartik Sharma instead. This decision surprised many fans.

 

The reason was simple. Samson had just played the entire 20 overs and he needed rest. A player who has just completed a long innings faces difficulties when he needs to keep wickets. The team decided to give him some rest before he returned to the field.

 

Kartik who did not appear in the playing XI was included in the impact players list. He entered the match as a substitute fielder who took over the wicketkeeping duties for a period. The team will bring Samson back to the field later in the match when he becomes ready to return.

 

Team selection and impact players

 

The CSK side made some alterations in their playing eleven for the upcoming game. They needed to make a choice between Kartik Sharma and Sarfraz Khan after Dewald Brevis got back into their squad. They chose Sarfraz Khan, who had put up an impressive performance in the last game.

 

Sarfraz had hit a quick fifty against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru team, proving that he was in fine form. On the other hand, Kartik managed to score just twenty-five runs in his first three matches. Thus, this issue simplified the task for the management team.

 

Kartik came in as a replacement player despite not being a starter in the match. His presence helped the team cope better with the needs of the match regarding Samson.

 

Conclusion

 

Chennai Super Kings received their biggest positive from Sanju Samson's century during this match. The team has not yet won their first match but this performance gives them reason to believe. CSK can improve their performance if their bowlers begin performing better.