Sanju Samson or MS Dhoni: Who
After a forgettable 2025 season, five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are all set to begin their campaign in IPL 2026 against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on Monday, March 30.
CSK will once again start the season with a good team, with all eyes once again on their former captain and veteran MS Dhoni. Despite handing over his captaincy duties to Ruturaj Gaikwad in 2024 and moving himself down the batting order, Dhoni will remain a vital part of CSK’s set-up in the upcoming season.
However, the biggest question for the Chennai-based franchise will be who will handle the wicket-keeping responsibilities for the team.
Since his debut in 2008, Dhoni has remained CSK’s first-choice batsman, but with the addition of Sanju Samson, the question arises whether Dhoni will retain his place behind the stumps or hand over the baton to Samson.
What role will Samson play for CSK?
Samson, who was leading defending champions Rajasthan Royals till IPL 2025, was added to CSK last year ahead of the IPL 2026 player auction. Despite having a good reputation as a captain, Sanju is unlikely to replace Ruturaj as the team leader.
This means that the World Cup winner is likely to play as a top-order batsman, and with his current form, Sanju will have no problem adjusting to that role.
Additionally, although there has been no indication from the franchise or the player that Samson will replace Dhoni in wicketkeeping, it is likely that he will don the wicketkeeping gloves.
But with Sanju standing behind the wicket, can CSK rest Dhoni, or will they use him as an impact player? only time will tell. The most obvious option would be to play Chennai favorite Thala as an impact sub.
Sanju Samson’s numbers as a batsman and wicketkeeper in IPL:
|
Year |
mat |
No |
it goes |
HS |
average |
sr |
100 |
50 |
whistle |
scheduled tribe |
|
livelihood |
177 |
20 |
4704 |
119 |
30.95 |
139.05 |
3 |
26 |
86 |
17 |
|
2025 |
9 |
1 |
285 |
66 |
35.63 |
140.39 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
|
2024 |
16 |
4 |
531 |
86 |
48.27 |
153.47 |
0 |
5 |
6 |
1 |
|
2023 |
14 |
2 |
362 |
66* |
30.17 |
153.39 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
2022 |
17 |
1 |
458 |
55 |
28.63 |
146.79 |
0 |
2 |
14 |
2 |
|
2021 |
14 |
2 |
484 |
119 |
40.33 |
136.72 |
1 |
2 |
7 |
4 |
|
2020 |
14 |
1 |
375 |
85 |
28.84 |
158.89 |
0 |
3 |
9 |
2 |
|
2019 |
12 |
2 |
342 |
102* |
34.2 |
148.69 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
|
2018 |
15 |
1 |
441 |
92* |
31.5 |
137.81 |
0 |
3 |
5 |
0 |
|
2017 |
14 |
0 |
386 |
102 |
27.57 |
141.39 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
|
2016 |
14 |
3 |
291 |
60 |
26.45 |
112.35 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
|
2015 |
14 |
1 |
204 |
76 |
20.4 |
125.15 |
0 |
1 |
9 |
0 |
|
2014 |
13 |
0 |
339 |
74 |
26.07 |
124.17 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
2 |
|
2013 |
11 |
2 |
206 |
63 |
25.75 |
115.73 |
0 |
1 |
13 |
0 |
How can CSK miss Dhoni as a keeper?
Over the past few seasons, Dhoni’s agility behind the wicket has been lacking, in contrast to his youth when he was considered one of the fastest players. This means that Samson replacing Dhoni as CSK’s wicketkeeper seems a bit far-fetched, but it is not unrealistic.
However, if Dhoni decides to hand over the baton to Samson, it would be a very difficult decision for CSK – even bigger than allowing the former captain to bat lower down the order.
Dhoni is considered one of the best cricket minds, his quick planning and game-reading ability is one of the reasons why the Chennai-based franchise has five IPL trophies in its cabinet.
Despite not being the captain for the last two seasons, Dhoni has been helpful on the field with his inputs from behind the wicket. While Samson has also been exceptional in the same skill, Dhoni surpasses him with his vast experience.
Dhoni’s numbers as a batsman and wicketkeeper in IPL:
|
Year |
mat |
No |
it goes |
HS |
average |
sr |
100 |
50 |
whistle |
scheduled tribe |
|
livelihood |
278 |
100 |
5439 |
84* |
38.3 |
137.45 |
0 |
24 |
158 |
47 |
|
2025 |
14 |
5 |
196 |
30* |
24.5 |
135.17 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
5 |
|
2024 |
14 |
8 |
161 |
37* |
53.67 |
220.55 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
0 |
|
2023 |
16 |
8 |
104 |
32* |
26 |
182.46 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
3 |
|
2022 |
14 |
6 |
232 |
50* |
33.14 |
123.4 |
0 |
1 |
9 |
0 |
|
2021 |
16 |
4 |
114 |
18* |
16.28 |
106.54 |
0 |
0 |
13 |
0 |
|
2020 |
14 |
4 |
200 |
47* |
25 |
116.27 |
0 |
0 |
15 |
1 |
|
2019 |
15 |
7 |
416 |
84* |
83.2 |
134.62 |
0 |
3 |
11 |
5 |
|
2018 |
16 |
9 |
455 |
79* |
75.83 |
150.66 |
0 |
3 |
11 |
3 |
|
2017 |
16 |
4 |
290 |
61* |
26.36 |
116 |
0 |
1 |
10 |
3 |
|
2016 |
14 |
5 |
284 |
64* |
40.57 |
135.23 |
0 |
1 |
8 |
4 |
|
2015 |
17 |
5 |
372 |
53 |
31 |
121.96 |
0 |
1 |
8 |
3 |
|
2014 |
16 |
10 |
371 |
57* |
74.2 |
148.4 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
|
2013 |
18 |
5 |
461 |
67* |
41.9 |
162.89 |
0 |
4 |
15 |
2 |
|
2012 |
19 |
5 |
358 |
51* |
29.83 |
128.77 |
0 |
1 |
12 |
2 |
|
2011 |
16 |
4 |
392 |
70* |
43.55 |
158.7 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
5 |
|
2010 |
13 |
2 |
287 |
66* |
31.88 |
136.66 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
6 |
|
2009 |
14 |
5 |
332 |
58* |
41.5 |
127.2 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
4 |
|
2008 |
16 |
4 |
414 |
65 |
41.4 |
133.54 |
0 |
2 |
6 |
0 |
Instances where Dhoni did not play as a wicketkeeper in IPL
MS Dhoni has not kept wicket in only six IPL matches for Chennai Super Kings in his career. Parthiv Patel kept wicket for Chennai in their last five matches of IPL 2008, which included the semi-final against Kings XI Punjab and the final against Rajasthan Royals.
Parthiv also took wickets for Chennai in the opening match of IPL 2009 against Mumbai Indians, before Dhoni once again took over the role.
international cricket records
Dhoni took wickets in every international match he played in Test, ODI and T20, but there is no example of him playing only as a specialist batsman. He holds records such as the most dismissals (total 829) by an Indian keeper, which includes 256 catches and 38 stumpings in Tests and 91 T20I dismissals.
