IPL 2026: ‘You expect a hundred when he plays’ – Former opener praises 'matured' Sanju Samson

Published - 12 Apr 2026, 18:32 IST | Updated - 12 Apr 2026, 18:34 IST

Former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer has lavished praise on Sanju Samson following his brilliant century for Chennai Super Kings against Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on April 11.

Samson delivered a perfect knock under pressure, smashing a match-defining unbeaten 56-ball 115 to guide CSK to a much-needed victory after their horrible start in IPL 2026 with a hat-trick of defeats. The right-hander looked in complete control throughout his innings, showcasing both composure and calculated aggression.

Reacting to the knock, Jaffer highlighted the significant growth in Samson’s batting over the past year, particularly his improved ability to construct innings.

“He has matured a lot. Now, I think when Sanju plays, you expect him to get a hundred. Even though he missed a couple of hundreds in the T20 World Cup, now when he gets going, he paces his innings so well. In the last 15-20 innings in international cricket, I think he has got three or four hundreds, or somewhere close to that, which is amazing,” Jaffer said on ESPNcricinfo.

Jaffer’s remarks underline the shift in expectations from Samson, who is no longer seen as just a flamboyant stroke-maker but as a dependable batter capable of converting starts into big scores. It was a brilliant knock by Samson, scoring 115* in just 56 balls.

Furthermore, the Kerala batter also received praise from former Australia skipper Aaron Finch. Finch was much impressed with Samson’s composure and adaptive batting style.

"The monkey's off his back now. It's never easy walking into a new franchise, particularly with the expectations that Sanju has come with. It just sets up your middle order so much better, when you have got the ability to inject Shivam Dube when you want. Mhatre, he comes in and plays aggressively because they have got off to a decent start. He's batting with a guy who looks in total control of his game,” said Finch.

The five-time champions CSK will now face Kolkata Knight Riders at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai in a blockbuster encounter on April 14.