RCB vs CSK IPL 2026: ‘Big Expectations From Sanju Samson But no Impact’ — Zaheer Khan’s Brutal Take on T20 World Cup Hero’s Dip in Form

The Chennai Super Kings and India wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson’s form has once again become the talk of the town after a couple of failures in the IPL 2026. Sanju who joined CSK earlier after a trade deal with Rajasthan Royals, has scores of 6 and 7 in the first two matches so far.

Former India pacer Zaheer Khan has stated now that Chennai Super Kings’ performance is dependent on Sanju’s form and if he gets among the runs, the Super Kings will be a different force.

“There were a lot of expectations from Sanju Samson after his three knocks in the World Cup. The expectation was that once he dons the yellow jersey, it will continue and he will shine like gold,” Zaheer said while speaking on Cricbuzz.

“But even he (Samson) is trying to find his form. If he gets into form, Shivam Dube steps up to the expectation, Ayush Mhatre continues his run, then you can see a different CSK,” Zaheer added.

The left-arm bowler also talked about Ruturaj Gaikwad’s captaincy and how this is going to be an important season for him as the skipper of the side that is one of the most successful teams in the IPL.

“This is going to be a massive test for Ruturaj Gaikwad this season. He is leading a franchise that has achieved so much. MS Dhoni not being there is also a huge factor. We can see this team heading into a new direction,” Zaheer said.

“So, there will be a bit of up-and-down. To replicate what MS Dhoni brings when he isn’t on the field, that will always be tough to replicate. Even if you look at their last match, even the coach was looking really worried, because somewhere along the line, he knows that this is a transitional phase,” Zaheer further said.

CSK will be taking on RCB on Sunday evening in an away fixture. The Super Kings haven’t had the best of starts to the IPL as they have lost both their games that they have played so far. While the batters struggled against Rajasthan Royals in the first match, the bowlers faltered in the second against Punjab Kings.

Marred with injuries, CSK will now be looking to get back on track in this high-voltage clash against RCB in Bengaluru. The defending champions started off the season on a positive note with Jacob Duffy doing the job with the ball while Virat Kohli once again showing his class and authority, smashing an unbeaten half-century.

Also Read: RCB vs CSK | Bhuvneshwar Kumar Set to Create IPL History Tonight — Just 1 Wicket Away From Massive Record | Full Details Inside

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