Sanju Samson's Batting Position For CSK Confirmed By Ruturaj Gaikwad Before IPL 2026

Sanju Samson with Ruturaj Gaikwad [Source: X]

In a significant development, CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad confirmed Sanju Samson's batting position for the IPL 2026 season. Led by Gaikwad, the Chennai Super Kings will cross swords against the Rajasthan Royals in their first match of the upcoming IPL season. 

Interestingly, this will be the first time Samson will play for the Super Kings against RR, a team he has captained previously in the tournament. As the stage is set for the tournament, CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has revealed Sanju Samson's batting position for the IPL 2026. 

Sanju Samson, Ayush Mhatre and Urvil Patel gave Ruturaj Gaikwad a happy headache

The Chennai Super Kings had a forgettable time in the IPL 2025, as they failed to qualify for the playoffs. The five-time champions hit a new low, finishing tenth on the IPL points table with just four wins across fourteen matches. 

The failure of their top-order was a primary reason behind the downfall of CSK last season. Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway were far from their best, averaging 27.28 and 26, respectively, as top-order batters. 

Additionally, their abysmal strike rates prompted the Chennai think tank to move on from the New Zealand duo and revamp their top-order at the fag end of the season. 

An injury to Ruturaj Gaikwad led to a wildcard IPL entry for Ayush Mhatre, who struck 240 runs at a blistering strike rate of 188.97 in seven innings. 

Urvil Patel impressed the Super Kings management with his power-hitting, while the addition of Sanju Samson to the CSK IPL 2026 squad through a historic pre-auction trade further strengthened their top-order. 

Also read: CSK's Best Playing XI For IPL 2026- Sanju Samson To Open, MS Dhoni Batting Position Locked

Thus, despite releasing Ravindra and Conway, the Chennai-based franchise acquired four potent top-order options- Mhatre, Samson, Urvil and skipper Gaikwad- heading to the 2026 season. 

This further resulted in a happy headache for the Super Kings, creating a puzzling situation regarding the batting positions of these players. 

Sanju Samson to open for CSK, confirms Ruturaj Gaikwad

Ayush Mhatre succeeded as an opener in the 2025 IPL season, while Sanju Samson recently had a blockbuster T20 World Cup campaign as the opener of the Indian team. 

Therefore, the CSK fans were curious to know which of these two batters would be preferred as the opening partner of captain Ruturaj Gaikwad in the IPL 2026. 

Meanwhile, the skipper himself solved the dilemma, revealing Sanju Samson's batting position days prior to the Rajasthan Royals clash. 

Speaking to the broadcasters during the IPL 2026 captains' meet, Gaikwad stated that Samson would open the batting alongside him in the upcoming tournament. 

Star Sports

@StarSportsIndia

From the skipper himself 👀 @Ruutu1331 reveals CSK’s opening pair at #CaptainsDay 🏏 #TATAIPL 2026 👉 Starts 28 Mar, 5:30 PM

Mar 26, 2026, 7:00 AM

Samson vs Mhatre: CSK choose experience over flamboyance

It's worth mentioning that Ruturaj Gaikwad blew hot and cold at number three last season (122 runs in 5 innings, average- 24.40); therefore, his promotion to the opening slot absolutely makes sense. 

On the other hand, Samson has mostly batted at three in the IPL (94 innings, 3096 runs, average- 38.22, Strike Rate- 143.33), while Ayush Mhatre enjoyed stellar success as an opener in the 2025 season. 

In such a scenario, CSK could've easily allotted the other opening slot to Ayush Mhatre, while keeping Samson at number three. 

However, given that the Kerala batter has been prolific as an opener recently (321 runs in 5 innings in the T20 World Cup 2026) and has plenty of experience in the shortest format, the Super Kings chose stability over flamboyance, pairing him up with Gaikwad. 

This move would ensure the Super Kings get solid starts while also maximising the powerplay field restrictions, an attribute that was missing from Conway and Ravindra last season. 

Now, with Sanju Samson's batting position confirmed, we may see either Mhatre or Urvil Patel playing at number three for CSK in IPL 2026. 

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