In a season full of twists and turns, Chennai Super Kings have found their late-season spark—and captain Ruturaj Gaikwad knows exactly who to thank. After Sanju Samson's blistering, unbeaten 87 off 52 balls powered CSK to a crucial eight-wicket win over Delhi Capitals, Gaikwad didn't hold back in his praise, calling Samson the team's "backbone."

Samson, who joined CSK in a blockbuster ₹18 crore trade from Rajasthan Royals ahead of IPL 2026, has been in scintillating form. With 402 runs in 10 matches at an average of 57.42, he's firmly in the Orange Cap race. But his knock against Delhi was something special—not just for the runs, but for the history it made. Samson became the first batter ever to be part of two 100-plus partnerships against Delhi Capitals in a single IPL edition. He also smashed his first hundred of the season (115*) against the same side earlier in Chennai, followed by a 101 against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium. And in April 2026, he crossed the 5,000-run milestone in IPL cricket.

"Yes, definitely. On the batting side, I would say, more than grateful to have Sanju in the side after the tournament he had even in the World Cup and even now. So obviously he's the backbone now," Gaikwad said in the post-match press conference.

The win itself was a team effort. After restricting Delhi Capitals to 155/7 on a sluggish pitch—thanks to disciplined bowling from Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmad—CSK chased down the target with ease in just 17.3 overs. Despite some resistance from Sameer Rizvi and Tristan Stubbs, Delhi collapsed to 69/5 and never recovered. In reply, Samson anchored the chase, sharing an unbroken 114-run partnership with Kartik Sharma to seal the victory.

The result lifts CSK to fifth place in the IPL 2026 standings, keeping their playoff hopes very much alive. And with Samson in this kind of form, the defending champions look like a team finding its groove at just the right time.