Sanju Samson's unbeaten 87 against Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026 on Tuesday, earns praise from Eoin Morgan and Aaron Finch.
Former England captain Eoin Morgan lauded Sanju Samson for his exceptional match-winning performance after Chennai Super Kings (CSK) secured an eight-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals (DC) in IPL 2026 on Tuesday.
Speaking on Star Sports, Morgan praised Samson for his unbeaten knock of 87 runs off 52 balls, which included seven boundaries and six towering sixes, helping CSK chase down the 156-run target with 15 balls to spare.
"I didn't think his stock could get any higher, but he's added even more value with this innings," JioStar expert Morgan said. "The level of control he brings to the dressing room reflects experience and leadership. He lets his performances do the talking."
'Joy to watch Samson marshal run chase'
Morgan also emphasised Samson's leadership qualities, noting his calm demeanour and ability to guide his team through the chase.
"It was a joy to watch him marshal the run chase like a seasoned player, leading from the front while guiding a youngster like Karthik Sharma at the other end," Morgan added.
Former Australian captain Aaron Finch also praised Samson for his Player of the Match performance on Tuesday.
Finch reflected on the pressure faced by big-name signings like Samson, especially when joining a high-profile franchise like CSK.
"He missed out the first couple of games, didn't he? All of a sudden, there was a massive panic that what has CSK done?" Finch said, referring to Samson's early struggles in the tournament.
"They've got Sanju Samson, and he's not performing. Two games in T20 are nothing. To go right through a season ultra-consistent is so difficult," the former Australian captain said on ESPNcricinfo's TimeOut show.
Finch acknowledged the immense pressure placed on players like Samson, who are brought into a team with high expectations.
Before last year's auction, the right-handed batter moved from Rajasthan Royals (RR) to CSK for Rs 18 crore, while Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran moved to RR for the 2026 season.
"You probably can't underestimate the pressure on somebody going into a team like CSK. Being a huge marquee signing, particularly when you have traded someone like Jadeja out of the side as well," Finch said.
The former Australian captain pointed out that despite Samson's impressive form in the latter stages of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, the transition to CSK was always going to be challenging.
"Although he [Samson] had a dream run at the end of the [T20] World Cup and then he's come in [at CSK] and missed out a couple of times, there will still be some pride and pressure," Finch said. "There's almost some feeling that you can tend to overplay it slightly in your own head that you want to get to a new franchise and really lay down a marker and say I'm here."
Finch concluded by praising Samson for overcoming the early challenges and producing a performance that lived up to the expectations.
"This is what you're traded for and the superstar that you've been crying out for. So, the fact that he's batting on a different level is great to see," Finch said.
© 2026