Sanju Samson Says "Would've Had To Be Selfish For Hundred". Sunil Gavaskar Responds
Sanju Samson once again underlined why he is regarded as one of India's most dangerous white-ball batters, steering CSK to their fifth win of the season with a composed yet commanding unbeaten 87 off 52 balls against Delhi Capitals.
- Sanju Samson scored an unbeaten 87 off 52 balls to lead CSK to victory against Delhi Capitals
- Samson prioritized team victory over personal milestones, earning praise from Gavaskar and Sehwag
- "Patience brings great rewards. Samson might have had his century, but he played for the team," Gavaskar said
No MS Dhoni, no problem for Chennai Super Kings. On a Kotla surface that got better as the match progressed, Sanju Samson delivered yet another stellar knock, putting the team above personal milestones. He kept calm, never allowed the chase to go out of hand, treating CSK fans to a Samson classic. His temperament earned glowing praise from two of India's batting greats. Sanju Samson once again underlined why he is regarded as one of India's most dangerous white-ball batters, steering Chennai Super Kings to their fifth win of the season with a composed yet commanding unbeaten 87 off 52 balls against Delhi Capitals.
Chasing 155 on a sluggish pitch where strokeplay was far from easy, CSK found themselves in early trouble at 45/2. Samson absorbed the pressure, crawling to 22 off 22 at one stage, he shifted gears seamlessly, bringing up his half-century in the 12th over and taking apart the Delhi spinners with calculated aggression.
His match-winning effort was complemented by Kartik Sharma, as the duo stitched together an unbeaten 114-run stand off just 66 balls - a partnership that effectively sealed the game.
What stood out even more post his player of the match winning performance was Samson's mindset. Speaking to Harsha Bhogle, he said, "A hundred is always special. But for that, I would have had to be a bit selfish. I didn't say, 'Take a single, let me get my hundred.' I thought it was better to win the match for the team."
THE GOLD MINDSET OF SANJU SAMSON
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) May 5, 2026
- He is always straight forward. pic.twitter.com/dMpDux2JwT
That sentiment drew high praise from Sunil Gavaskar, who highlighted Samson's maturity. "Patience brings great rewards. He got set and then accelerated. Had Kartik not finished it off with those shots, Samson might have had his century. But he played for the team," Gavaskar noted.
Virender Sehwag echoed similar thoughts, pointing to Samson's evolved game awareness. "He was playing percentage cricket, only attacking balls in his zone. Over the last few years, his understanding of the game has improved massively," Sehwag said.
He is the only player to have hit two hundreds this season, complemented with a half century. With 402 runs Sanju is 5th on the Orange Cap list. If Chennai are to reach the knock outs this season, bigger contributions will be expected of him.
Tuesday night in Kotla belonged to him. It also belonged to the CSK supporters, who had thronged into Kotla in large numbers. In the absence of MS Dhoni, they were treated to a Sanju Samson classic. Some even quiring about availability of a Samson yellow jersey, as they checked out of the turnstiles.
Chennai Super Kings
Delhi Capitals
Sanju Samson
Sunil Gavaskar
Virender Sehwag