Gaikwad confirms Samson will open alongside him for CSK in IPL 2026
The guessing game is over. Ruturaj Gaikwad told reporters at the IPL captains' day event in Mumbai on Wednesday that he and Sanju Samson will walk out together when CSK begin their season against Rajasthan Royals on March 30 in Guwahati.
A new look at the top after a miserable 2025
CSK's top order was a revolving door last season. Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway and Rahul Tripathi all took turns at the top before Gaikwad himself dropped down to No. 3. Nothing clicked until youngster Ayush Mhatre arrived as a mid-season replacement and hit 240 runs in seven innings at a strike rate close to 189, including a blistering 94 against RCB.
Mhatre gave CSK what they had been looking for all season, but the arrival of Samson changes things. The T20 World Cup 2026 Player of the Tournament, who scored 321 runs in five innings at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate just under 200, was traded from Rajasthan Royals in November in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. With that kind of form, he was always going to bat at the top.
Mhatre pushed to three, not pushed out
Gaikwad was careful to stress that Mhatre's demotion is not a snub. The 18-year-old, who captains India's Under-19 side, is expected to slot in at first drop, where he can still play with the aggression that made him so effective last year but with less pressure against the new ball.
Former CSK player Ravichandran Ashwin had publicly called for the Gaikwad-Samson combination months ago. "There is pedigree with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. "One is a caresser of the ball, while the other guy hits it hard. Both of those qualities are there."
The Dhoni question stays unanswered
Gaikwad was also asked where MS Dhoni would bat this season. He smiled and said fans would have to wait until the first game for that answer. CSK open their IPL 2026 campaign against Rajasthan Royals at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on March 30 at 7:30 PM IST, before heading home to Chepauk on April 3 against Punjab Kings.
