Sanju Samson couldn't replicate his Wankhede heroics at Chepauk but still managed to script history in the IPL 2026 clash between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Gujarat Titans (GT) on April 26.
With a clinical boundary off Kagiso Rabada, the star wicketkeeper-batter notched a mighty milestone in the glitzy league.
Sanju Samson’s historic 5,000-run milestone
Entering the match just five runs shy of the 5,000-run mark, Samson bagged the coveted figure in style during the second over. This milestone places him in an elite club of IPL legends, as he accomplished the feat in 180 innings.
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While Samson is the seventh-fastest player to reach this milestone in terms of innings, his scoring efficiency is even more impressive when measuring balls faced. He reached 5,000 runs in just 3,555 balls, making him the third-fastest player in tournament history to do so. He currently sits behind only the legendary AB de Villiers, who reached the mark in 3,288 balls, and David Warner, who did it in 3,554 balls.
This accomplishment marks a massive achievement for the Kerala star, as he surpassed Suresh Raina to become the fastest Indian player to reach 5,000 runs in terms of balls faced. In achieving this feat, Samson has vaulted past several iconic figures of Indian cricket, including MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli, further cementing his legacy as one of the league's most effective and dynamic run-scorers.
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Fastest Indian batter to 5000 IPL runs (in terms of balls faced):
3555 - Sanju Samson*
3620 - Suresh Raina
3688 - KL Rahul
3691 - MS Dhoni
3817 - Rohit Sharma
3827 - Virat Kohli
3962 - Shikhar Dhawan
However, Samson's stay at the crease didn't last long as he was sent back to the hut at just 11.
Gujarat Titans (Playing XI):
Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill(c), Jos Buttler(w), Shahrukh Khan, Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Arshad Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Manav Suthar
Gujarat Titans Impact subs: Rahul Tewatia, Anuj Rawat, Glenn Phillips, Kulwant Khejroliya, Nishant Sindhu
Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI):
Sanju Samson(w), Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Urvil Patel, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Jamie Overton, Akeal Hosein, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh
Chennai Super Kings Impact subs: Sarfaraz Khan, Mukesh Choudhary, Prashant Veer, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Matthew Short