Sanju Samson's struggles continued in the IPL 2026 match against Punjab Kings at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Opening the innings for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) alongside captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, Samson was dismissed for just seven runs off seven balls by Xavier Bartlett in the second over. This dismissal further highlighted his troubling record at Chepauk, where he has scored only 66 runs in six matches, averaging a mere 11 with a strike rate of 100. Notably, he has also recorded a duck at this venue. Samson, who was traded to CSK before the auction, expressed excitement about joining the team and learning from legendary player MS Dhoni. Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja shared his emotional experience of leaving CSK after over a decade, highlighting the challenges of such changes in a player's career.