IPL 2026: Sanju Samson becomes 1st CSK batter to bag this mighty feat vs MI with roaring century at Wankhede

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opener Sanju Samson ran riot with the bat in the high-stakes IPL 2026 clash against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium.

Sanju Samson cracks historic ton against MI

While his teammates found it difficult to accelerate, Samson took the responsibility on his shoulders, dominating the bowling attack to smash a historic century, which came off in just 54 balls. He reached the milestone in style on the final delivery of the innings, pulling a boundary off Krish Bhagat to remain unbeaten on 101, which helped Chennai post a formidable total of 207.

With this Samson became the first-ever CSK batter to hammer a century against MI in IPL. Not just his, the 31-year-old from Kerala notched another milestone as he equalled Rohit Sharma for the third-most T20 centuries by an Indian. He now holds seven tons in the format, placing him just behind Virat Kohli, who has eight, and table-topper Abhishek Sharma, who leads the list with nine.

ALSO READ: Delhi Capitals sign Pakistan origin spinner as Ben Duckett's replacement for rest of IPL 2026

Sanju Samson’s masterclass powers CSK to 207-run total

After a somewhat slow start to the IPL 2026 season following his participation in the T20 World Cup, he has found his rhythm at the perfect time. This innings marks his second century in his last four matches, following a blistering knock against the Delhi Capitals just a couple of weeks ago, proving that he is currently in scintillating touch.

Despite Samson’s brilliant century anchoring CSK to a big total, the team management will likely be concerned about the overall batting performance. While Samson’s individual heroics helped the team reach 207, the lack of support from the rest of the lineup remains a significant issue that needs addressing moving forward.

CSK's middle order batting woes

The top and middle order failed to capitalize on starts, leaving the innings disjointed. Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad showed flashes of form but departed for just 22 runs, which ironically stood as the team's second-highest individual score of the night. With Ayush Mhatre sidelined, Sarfaraz Khan was promoted to number three but only contributed 14 runs, while Shivam Dube struggled to find his rhythm, managing just five. Dewald Brevis also looked comfortable at the crease for a time before falling for 21. Ultimately, the immense pressure to perform fell entirely on Samson; while he delivered a spectacular knock, the team likely feels they left at least 15 runs on the field due to the lack of substantial contributions from the rest of the batting unit.