Chennai Super Kings recently shared a special video documenting the first interaction between MS Dhoni and Sanju Samson, giving fans a glimpse into a moment that has been years in the making.
In the video, Samson chats with Dhoni as his voice plays in the background, reflecting how important this moment is to him.
“After that, we used to meet at the IPL and there was a big crowd in front of the stadium. 5-10 people here, 5-10 people there. I used to think it was not enough. I had to see it alone. I had this desire. Destiny brought me to come and play in a dressing room with him. Like those months, I was very, very excited. Absolutely excited to meet him and interact with him. Just sitting down, having breakfast with him, training with him, playing with him, moving out just made me happy.”
The moment assumes greater 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 for 11 seasons, he has now moved to CSK ahead of IPL 2026. The deal netted the Royals Sam Curran and Ravindra Jadeja in return.
Samson’s arrival comes on the heels of a stellar performance by the Indian team. He played a key role in India’s win at the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and was named the Man of the Tournament.
His campaign was nothing short of extraordinary. Samson struggled in the match and was even benched, but he came back in the Super 8 match against Zimbabwe and turned things around in stunning fashion. He scored consecutive half-centuries in the next three, scoring 97 in the virtual quarter-final against West Indies, 89 in the semi-final against England and 89 in the final against New Zealand, setting the stage for India’s run.
In just five innings, Samson scored 321 runs, surpassing Virat Kohli’s record of 319 runs in the 2014 World Cup to become the most runs scored by an Indian in a T20 World Cup. He also set a new record for most sixes in a single World Cup, breaking 24.
In the process, he also broke several other milestones, including the record for most runs in consecutive innings by an Indian team, the record for most runs in a T20 World Cup knockout match and the highest score by an Indian in a T20 World Cup final and chase.
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Now, as Samson prepares to share the dressing room with Dhoni in CSK colours, the excitement is palpable. What was once a distant dream has now become a reality for the cricketer, setting the stage for one of the most talked about partnerships in IPL 2026.