Aakash Chopra has set high expectations from the CSK star.
Aakash Chopra has predicted newly-recruited CSK batter Sanju Samson to win the Orange Cap in IPL 2026. Samson was traded to Chennai Super Kings in a historic deal with Rajasthan Royals (RR), who got Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran in return.
In a rapid-fire segment on Crex, Chopra was asked a number of questions about what he expects from a fresh season. The first question itself was who would win the Orange Cap, and the former Indian batter had no doubts about going with Samson.
Additionally, he tipped Jasprit Bumrah to take most wickets and win the Purple Cap, while Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to win the Emerging Player of the Season award. When asked about four playoff teams, Aakash Chopra was a bit hesitant with his choices but went with Mumbai Indians (MI), Delhi Capitals (DC), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and Punjab Kings (PBKS).
Shockingly, he later picked DC to win the title in 2026, even though he stated the obvious: the team playing well will triumph in the tournament. If Aakash’s predictions indeed come true, each of them would be a first: Samson has never finished as the leading run-scorer, Bumrah has never topped the wicket-taking charts, those four franchises have never qualified for the playoffs together, and DC, of course, have never won the title.
Sanju Samson will likely open the innings for CSK, with Ruturaj Gaikwad continuing at No.3 in IPL 2026. Samson is a momentum player who, once he starts going, scores big runs in consecutive innings and becomes almost unstoppable.
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He is coming with confidence and form after playing a pivotal role in India’s title-winning T20 World Cup 2026 campaign, where he won the Player of the Tournament award. The batter was the third-leading run-getter, with 321 runs at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate of 199.38 across five innings.
This included three consecutive 50+ scores in must-win games. More importantly, runs in such a big tournament do wonders for players’ confidence, and Samson understands what it takes to be a consistent batter now.
He might have had issues with consistency in the past, but this version might be his best as a batter. IPL 2026 couldn’t have come at a better time for Sanju Samson, who will look to fit nicely in the setup and prove the trade deal worth it by winning the title for CSK.
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