CSK vs DC IPL 2026: The M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai held its breath on the evening of 11 April 2026. Delhi Capitals won the toss and chose to bowl, putting the squeeze on Sanju Samson. After three straight low scores in the yellow jersey, the pressure on him was heavy.
But right from the opening over, things looked different. He went after Mukesh Kumar’s pace early on, hitting three boundaries in a row and immediately getting the Chepauk crowd behind him. His usual elegance was out in full force as he worked the field, using Auqib Nabi’s pace to find third man and lofting T. Natarajan over the covers with perfect timing.
Along with a strong 100-run partnership with youngster Ayush Mhatre, Sanju Samson reached his century off just 53 balls, hitting 13 fours and 5 big sixes. The Chepauk fans went wild, and they had every reason to; this wasn’t just a hundred; it was a point proven.
Sanju Samson’s First Hundred for CSK: A Night That Rewrote the Record Books
The innings did more than just entertain; it changed the IPL record books in a single evening. Samson’s century was the first ton of the IPL 2026 season, adding a new chapter to his career. This knock moved him to joint-fifth on the all-time list for most IPL centuries, trailing only Virat Kohli, Jos Buttler, Chris Gayle, Shubman Gill, and KL Rahul. That puts him in elite company for a player often labelled as an underutilised talent, rather than a consistent winner.
The century also brought personal milestones that highlight his long career in the format. During this innings, Sanju Samson cleared the boundary for his 400th T20 six, making him the fourth Indian on the all-time list for most sixes in the format. It was a massive milestone that came in the middle of a batting masterclass.
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What makes this hundred stand out is where it fits in Sanju Samson’s career. His first three IPL centuries all came for Rajasthan Royals, so this knock against Delhi Capitals was his first for another team. After 13 seasons tied to one club, he moved to the Chennai Super Kings before IPL 2026. Now, under the humid Chennai lights, he produced his best performance yet in yellow. He finished unbeaten on 115 as CSK passed 200 for the third time this season, rewriting the records and silencing the critics with one brilliant innings.
