Former India captain Anil Kumble believes Sanju Samson should serve as CSK’s vice-captain in IPL 2026. Speaking on Star Sports, Kumble explained that Samson’s captaincy experience at Rajasthan Royals, his T20 World Cup 2026 heroics, and his cultural connect with Chennai make him the ideal leadership backup behind Ruturaj Gaikwad.
He even suggested MS Dhoni might hand over the wicketkeeping gloves to Samson at some point during the season.
How Did Sanju Samson Join Chennai Super Kings?
CSK brought Sanju Samson on board through a blockbuster trade deal with Rajasthan Royals before the IPL 2026 auction. In exchange, Chennai sent Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to Rajasthan.
For Samson, this meant leaving a franchise where he spent years as captain and the face of the team. However, he now walks into a setup that already has Ruturaj Gaikwad leading the side and MS Dhoni still playing a massive role in the dressing room.
Why Does Kumble Think Samson Fits CSK Perfectly?
Kumble pointed out several reasons why this move works on multiple levels.
First, there’s the cultural connection. Samson was born in Kerala and speaks Tamil, which instantly helps him bond with CSK’s passionate fanbase. Not every new signing comes with that kind of built-in connect.
Second, Kumble highlighted Samson’s form heading into the IPL. The wicketkeeper-batter played a starring role in India’s T20 World Cup 2026 triumph, delivering three back-to-back match-winning knocks. That kind of confidence carries over into franchise cricket.
On top of that, Kumble drew a direct comparison with Dhoni. He noted that Samson is a wicketkeeper-batter in a similar mould, bringing both batting firepower and experience behind the stumps. That dual skill set fills a natural succession gap at CSK.
Will Samson Replace Dhoni as Wicketkeeper?
This is where things get interesting.
Kumble didn’t rule it out. In fact, he openly said he wouldn’t be surprised if MS Dhoni hands the keeping role to Samson at some point during the season. Dhoni remains available for the full IPL 2026 campaign, so both players will likely feature in the playing XI.
Still, if the management wants to manage Dhoni’s workload, Samson offers a ready-made alternative. He has kept wickets at the highest level for years, so the transition would be seamless.
What About the CSK Captaincy Backup?
Kumble also addressed a lingering problem at CSK. In previous seasons, whenever Ruturaj Gaikwad missed matches due to injury, the franchise had no clear backup captain. Dhoni had to step back in, which wasn’t always ideal.
Now, Samson solves that issue. He captained Rajasthan Royals for multiple seasons, so he knows how to lead an IPL side. As a result, Kumble expects Samson to be part of CSK’s leadership group from day one. If Ruturaj is unavailable for any reason, Samson steps in instead of Dhoni.
That’s exactly the kind of insurance a franchise needs heading into a long tournament.
