Kamal Ghorui
Chennai Super Kings recently shared a special video capturing the first interaction between MS Dhoni and Sanju Samson, offering fans a glimpse into a moment that has been years in the making.In the clip, Samson is seen chatting with Dhoni, while his voice plays in the background, reflecting on how much this moment means to him. “After that, we used to meet at the IPL and there used to be a huge crowd in front of the stadium. There were 5-10 people here and 5-10 people there. I used to think that this is not enough. I have to see it alone. I had such a desire. Destiny has got me to come and play with him in one dressing room. Like that couple of months, I am very very excited. Definitely very genuinely excited to meet him and interact with him. Sit, have breakfast with him, practice with him, play match with him, move out. Just thinking about it makes me very happy.”The moment carries added significance as Samson begins a new chapter in his IPL journey. After being the face of Rajasthan Royals for over a decade and representing the franchise across 11 seasons, he has now moved to CSK ahead of IPL 2026. The trade saw the Royals receive Sam Curran and Ravindra Jadeja in return.Samson’s arrival comes on the back of a remarkable run with the Indian team. He played a key role in India’s triumph at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, where he was named Player of the Tournament.His campaign was nothing short of extraordinary. After struggling for form and even being benched earlier in the tournament, Samson returned in the Super 8 clash against Zimbabwe and turned things around in stunning fashion. He followed it up with three successive half-centuries, scoring 97* against West Indies in a virtual quarter-final, 89 against England in the semi-final, and 89 against New Zealand in the final, anchoring India’s innings throughout.In just five innings, Samson amassed 321 runs, surpassing Virat Kohli’s record of 319 runs in the 2014 edition for the most runs by an Indian in a T20 World Cup. He also set a new record for the most sixes in a single World Cup, smashing 24.Along the way, he broke several other milestones, including records for most runs in consecutive innings for India, most runs in T20 World Cup knockout matches, and the highest score by an Indian in both a T20 World Cup final and in a chase.Now, as Samson prepares to share the dressing room with Dhoni in CSK colours, the excitement is evident. What once felt like a distant dream for the cricketer has now turned into reality, setting the stage for one of the most talked-about partnerships of IPL 2026.
