Sanju Samson’s poor run in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 continued as the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opener was dismissed for just 7 runs against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. The early dismissal once again highlighted Samson’s ongoing struggle to convert starts into meaningful contributions this season.
In a brief but eventful stay at the crease, Sanju Samson managed to find the boundary, showing glimpses of his attacking intent. However, his innings was cut short immediately after, as Xavier Bartlett executed a well-planned delivery to perfection. Interestingly, just moments before the dismissal, commentator Ian Bishop had pointed out that tightening the line and limiting Samson’s room could force an error.
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Bartlett followed that advice almost precisely. After being struck for a boundary, he adjusted quickly, bowling a tighter line closer to Samson’s body. Anticipating the batter’s movement across the stumps, the pacer delivered a ball that seamed away just enough to create uncertainty.
Sanju Samson’s struggle continues pic.twitter.com/If0DblNtCK
— Nickk Knight (@KnightNick34590) April 3, 2026
Sanju Samson attempted to guide the ball but ended up edging it behind the stumps. Wicketkeeper Prabhsimran Singh made no mistake, completing a clean catch to give Punjab Kings an early breakthrough. For CSK, Samson’s form remains a concern, especially at the top of the order, where stability is crucial in building strong starts in high-pressure IPL encounters.
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Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Prabhsimran Singh(w), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer(c), Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Sanju Samson(w), Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Ayush Mhatre, Sarfaraz Khan, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Matt Henry, Khaleel Ahmed
#CSKvsPBKS
Sanju Samson giving tribute to beemar #Dhoni be like…THALA FOR A REASON pic.twitter.com/1pefPcxwTv
— Reality hurt (@anekmemees) April 3, 2026
Made flat pitches in Chepauk for Sanju Samson but Ayush Mhatre came out of syllabus pic.twitter.com/WqzBYRLS3k
— 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵 (@ManishSRH) April 3, 2026
Sanju Samson dismissed for 7 from 7 balls#sanjusamson #ipl2026 pic.twitter.com/cOceQm7Gei
— SportsScene (@sportsscen) April 3, 2026
Kicking out blind slogger Sanju samson is the best decision Rajasthan Royals ever made. https://t.co/5xaUPsQTmO
— GAUTAM 🏴 (@gaandfaadtits) April 3, 2026
Sanju Samson today inning 👀😹#CSKvPBKSpic.twitter.com/o8iuQIW5wG
— Harshit (@I_am_Harshit_17) April 3, 2026
Flat Track Bully or World Class? 🤔
Unpopular Opinion: Sanju Samson was lucky to play on absolute batting paradise wickets in the WC. Put some green on top, and he struggles. The “swing” test is where he fails. 🏏 pic.twitter.com/kdJp5YEuOM
— Cricket Central (@CricketCentrl) April 3, 2026
