Sanju Samson may be lighting up the IPL 2026 season with the bat, but according to former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, there's one area where the CSK star still has work to do: his fitness.

Manjrekar has urged the 31-year-old wicketkeeper-batter to take a page out of Virat Kohli's playbook when it comes to physical conditioning. "I see him not being in peak physical condition," Manjrekar said on the Sportstar's Insight Edge Podcast, drawing a direct comparison to Kohli's legendary dedication to fitness. "When you have a great example, like Virat Kohli, who has had such a long career... just because he's given fitness so much."

This advice comes despite Samson enjoying a stellar campaign for Chennai Super Kings. After a slow start following his blockbuster ₹18 crore move from Rajasthan Royals, the right-hander has been in sensational form. He has smashed two centuries and a half-century in his last seven innings, amassing 402 runs in 10 matches at an average of 57.42. His latest heroics came against Delhi Capitals, where he carved an unbeaten 87 off 52 balls on a tricky pitch to guide CSK to victory and earn the Player of the Match award.

Samson has also etched his name in the IPL record books, becoming the first batter to be involved in two 100-plus partnerships against Delhi Capitals in the same season. Earlier, he registered an unbeaten 115 against the same opposition in Chennai and followed it up with a brilliant 101 against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. He also crossed the 5,000 IPL runs milestone during CSK's clash against Kolkata Knight Riders in April.

While Samson has carried forward the momentum from his memorable T20 World Cup comeback, Manjrekar believes that to sustain this purple patch, the wicketkeeper-batter needs to prioritize his physical conditioning. "I'm saying that about Sanju Samson as well, who's also not a 25-year-old because he's hit the peak of his achievements, just to sustain it," Manjrekar added. "He could also do the same thing."

The message is clear: talent alone isn't enough for longevity in modern cricket. For Samson, following Kohli's fitness blueprint could be the key to transforming a brilliant season into a legendary career.