Sanju Samson Equals Rohit Sharma’s Record, Edges Closer to Virat Kohli After Match-Winning Ton Against MI

Sanju Samson’s impressive hundred against Mumbai Indians has propelled him to fifth in the IPL 2026 Orange Cap standings.

Sanju Samson Equals Rohit Sharma’s Record, Edges Closer to Virat Kohli After Match-Winning Ton Against MI

Sanju Samson stand level with Rohit Sharma for second-most T20 hundreds by an Indian. (via NDTV Sports)

In Short
  • Sanju Samson scored an unbeaten 101 runs, leading CSK to a 103-run victory over MI.
  • He matched Rohit Sharma's record with eight T20 centuries, now trailing only Virat Kohli and Abhishek Sharma.
  • Samson became the first CSK player to score a hundred against MI in IPL history, surpassing Suresh Raina's record for the franchise.

Days after recording his first hundred in Yellow, Sanju Samson hit another masterful century to help CSK triumph over MI in an IPL 2026 clash at the Wankhede Stadium. This record-setting performance allowed Samson to match Rohit Sharma’s record in the format.

The IPL’s two most successful franchises, CSK and MI, faced off against each other for the first time this season. However, the visitors had the last laugh, securing a dominant 103-run victory. Batting first, CSK raced to a competitive first-innings total of 207/6, led by Sanju Samson’s unbeaten 101 runs off just 54 balls, and brisk contributions from captain Ruturaj Gaikwad (22 off 14) and Dewald Brevis (21 off 11). 

It seemed like an easy chase for Mumbai, given their star-studded batting lineup. However, the MI batting order inexplicably faltered under pressure, and they were bowled out for just 104 runs in 19 overs. Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma’s 73-run stand proved meaningless, as they fell significantly short. For CSK, Akeal Hosein emerged as the unlikely hero, finishing with figures of 4/17, while his spin partner Noor Ahmad picked two wickets. 

Coming back to Samson, the 31-year-old demonstrated not only his aggressive batting but also his level-headedness, maintaining the momentum of the score despite CSK losing wickets at regular intervals. Samson made sure that the visitors crossed the 200-run mark with the help of 10 fours and 6 sixes. Records tumbled for the opener, who became the first CSK batter to score a hundred against MI in the IPL, with Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 88 being the previous best. 

Furthermore, the century also elevated Samson into an elite list of Indian T20 cricket history. The 31-year-old now sits level with Rohit Sharma for the number of hundreds scored by an Indian in the format, with both of them having eight to their name. Samson only trails Virat Kohli and Abhishek Sharma on the list, both sharing nine hundreds. Furthermore, this was his fifth IPL century, placing him fourth alongside KL Rahul on the tournament’s all-time list.

However, CSK’s batting woes persist, given that only three batters went past the 20-run mark throughout the innings against MI. Although Gaikwad started well, he could not turn it into a high individual score, and Shivam Dube has yet to make a significant impact.

Sanju Samson sets CSK record in just 7 innings that even Suresh Raina could not 

India’s 2026 T20 World Cup hero, Sanju Samson, for his new IPL franchise, CSK, did something incredible. In just his seventh inning for the five-time champions, the 31-year-old went past the legendary Suresh Raina’s century tally for the team in the tournament’s history. 

Sanju Samson Suresh Raina record
Sanju Samson surpassed Suresh Raina’s record of an IPL century for CSK, in just seven innings. (via News 18)

Sanju Samson scored a remarkable 101 off 54 balls for CSK in a thrilling contest against arch-rivals MI at the Wankhede Stadium. It was his second century for the Men in Yellow, with the earlier one (115* off 56) coming in the team’s encounter against DC. This feat enabled Samson to surpass Suresh Raina’s century count for the franchise. Raina only managed one hundred in his career with the team in the IPL (has one elsewhere in the now-discontinued Champions League), from 2008 to 2021.

Raina however, remains CSK’s second-highest run-getter in the IPL, with 4,687 runs across 176 matches. Samson, on the other hand, now stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Shane Watson, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Murali Vijay for the most hundreds (two each) for CSK. He also became the second batter from the franchise to score two centuries in a single IPL season, after Watson during the 2018 IPL season.

The Wankhede was also the same venue where Sanju Samson had entertained fans, during the T20 WC. Earning the POTS award, he scored an incredible 89 off 42 balls during the semi-final against England, to help India to a match-winning 253-run total. 

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