Chennai Super Kings opener Sanju Samson got his side off to a flying start within the IPL 2026 clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad on the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium on Monday, May 18. The wicketkeeper-batter capitalised on a free hit after Nitish Kumar Reddy bowled a no-ball before following it up with a fuller delivery.
The ball landed right within the hitting zone around off stump, and Samson got underneath it before smashing it over mid-on for a towering six. Watch the video here:
Chetta starts with a bang! 👊🏻#CSK off to a positive start within the very first over.💛#TATAIPL Race to Playoffs 2026 👉 #CSKvSRH | LIVE NOW ➡️https://t.co/1MHhpANXCI pic.twitter.com/oY8os4w9bQ
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) May 18, 2026
With 477 runs from 13 matches, Sanju Samson is currently the best run-scorer for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026. The wicketkeeper-batter has registered an unbeaten 115 against Mumbai Indians this season and has also notched up two half-centuries.
CSK acquired him from Rajasthan Royals for INR 18 crore ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.
MS Dhoni Absent As CSK Opt To Bat Against SRH
Ruturaj Gaikwad won the toss and elected to bat first for Chennai Super Kings against Sunrisers Hyderabad in a vital IPL 2026 encounter, with the hosts needing a victory to remain alive within the playoff race. The CSK skipper also confirmed that MS Dhoni was unavailable because of fitness concerns.
Chennai made one change to their playing XI, bringing in Akeal Hosein rather than Gurjapneet Singh. On the time of writing, CSK had raced to 30 without loss after two overs, with Gaikwad unbeaten on 2 off 2 balls and Sanju Samson scoring 27 off just 11 deliveries.
With six wins from 12 matches, CSK currently sit fifth within the IPL 2026 standings and entered the competition following a seven-wicket defeat to Lucknow Super Giants. Meanwhile, SRH occupy third place on the points table, having registered seven victories in 12 games under the leadership of Pat Cummins.
A victory would keep Hyderabad firmly in contention for a top-two finish despite their heavy 82-run loss to Gujarat Titans within the previous game. The last meeting between the 2 teams in IPL 2026 saw SRH edge past CSK by 10 runs, giving the Gaikwad-led side extra motivation to bounce back and strengthen their top-four hopes.
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