“MS Dhoni Not Going To Play”: CSK CEO Gives Big Sanju Samson Update

As Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will play their first match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season against Rajasthan Royals (RR), it also shows a glimpse of the future. CSK brought Samson in a trade deal with RR before the IPL auction as well.

However, Sanju Samson’s recruitment isn’t only an attempt to solve a current problem, but he can also be MS Dhoni’s potential long-term successor. Ahead of the match against the Royals, CSK CEO Kasi Vishwanathan gave a big update on Dhoni’s unavailability for the match, confirming Samson will keep wickets.

“See, obviously, Sanju will be keeping because his MS Dhoni is not going to play. Sanju’s form is great and he’s been knocking well in the nets also. So we’re hoping that he’ll give the impact that CSK is looking for during the current season. Of course, we have Ruturaj, who is also capable of taking the team to higher levels, and his captaincy is one which definitely will lift the team,” Vishwanathan said.

However, Vishwanathan also gave a little hint of the future, expressing confidence that Sanju Samson is going to be a great bet for them in the future.

“As far as Sanju is concerned, we don’t want to put any pressure on him because we know his capabilities. I have not spent much time talking to Sanju, as I met him only a couple of days back, and during practice, I would never go and disturb him. I’m very confident that Sanju, with his abilities and his form, will be a great bet for us,” he concluded.