’50 second meeting’: Sanju Samson reveals CSK’s turning point after hat-trick

New Delhi: The monkey is finally gone Sanzhou Samsonshoulders. Emotions were running high for the wicketkeeper-batsman as his teammates gathered around him to high-five, hug and celebrate. Yet Samson looked calm and content, smiling brightly after playing a key role. chennai super kings‘First win of IPL 2026.Samson, who had scores of 6, 7 and 9 in CSK’s first three games, made a comeback in style with a magnificent century to lead the team to a 23-run win over Delhi Capitals on Saturday, finally opening the gates after a three-match losing streak.The batsman, who was traded by Rajasthan Royals before the season, made his first big contribution in the CSK side after suffering early struggles. He came into the IPL with high expectations and scored three half-centuries in India’s home win at the T20 World Cup in March.Samson’s unbeaten 115 off 56 balls, coupled with Ayush Mhatre’s 59 off 36 balls, propelled CSK to a dominant 2-ball 212-run stand. The two put together a 113-run stand for the second wicket. In reply, Delhi Capitals faltered in the face of a brilliant performance from Jamie Overton, who took 4 for 18 and were bowled out for 189.“It really means a lot. The trust they showed, very responsible. Fortunately, everything went well. It never felt like a different team. The people were great. Even after losing three games, we had a 50-second meeting today,” Sanju Samson said after being named man of the match.“I failed a lot. The mind changes from time to time. I need to know what my basics are. It’s about getting the basics right. We had some good meetings with the support staff,” he added.Samson was the chief architect of CSK’s unforgettable night at Chepauk. When asked to bat first, he struck hard for the first time in a CSK jersey and shared a dominant position with Mhatre, who showed his growing maturity in the crucial overs with 113 runs in over 11 overs.This is Samson’s fourth IPL hundred, his first hundred for CSK and first hundred of the IPL 2026 season. This blow is crucial in restoring the confidence of the CSK faithful, especially after a poor start to the season.“It’s so important to build good partnerships. Ayush showed such maturity. That was for Fleming (in his celebration) and I know how challenging it is. I just wanted to dedicate this to him,” he said.