There is going to be a big change for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026) starting from March 28. The five-time IPL champions have brought in star wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson, and Faf du Plessis believes he can soon take up the wicketkeeping role that has belonged to the great MS Dhoni since 2008.
The legendary wicketkeeper-batsman has been the face of Chennai Super Kings since the inception of the league in 2008. Dhoni has led the team to five IPL titles with his calm leadership and smart wicketkeeping, making him one of the best in the history of the tournament.
Faf du Plessis backs Sanju Samson as CSK’s future wicketkeeper
But with the former Indian captain now 44, the CSK team management has started preparing for the future, and have included Sanju Samson in the squad from Rajasthan Royals while sidelining Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran.
Also Read: Suryakumar Yadav reveals 3 players who supported his captaincy during India’s T20 World Cup 2026 win
The trade created massive buzz as Jadeja had been a vital part of CSK for many years. Well, Samson’s arrival has also come at the right time, as the Kerala wicketkeeper has been in great form and had a memorable performance in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
He played a big role in India’s title-winning campaign and was named player of the tournament. Sanju has experience as both a wicketkeeper and captain and now many expect the Kerala star to start easing Dhoni’s responsibilities behind the wicket.
MS Dhoni should hand over wicketkeeping to Sanju Samson!!
However, former South African captain Faf du Plessis believed that Dhoni has 10 years of cricket left as a wicketkeeper, but one day he will have to stop and at that time Samson can play the wicketkeeping role for the team without any problem.
“In terms of keeping, maybe MS Dhoni will play for the next 10 years, but after that, someone else will eventually have to take the gloves. And he will be the one to do that and step into it seamlessly,” Faf du Plessis said on Star Sports.
The former CSK opener also appreciated the trade, saying that Samson’s presence will also strengthen CSK’s batting lineup. He pointed out that strong top-order partnerships have been a major reason behind the team’s success in the league over the past few years.
Former CSK star lauds Sanju Samson trade
With Sanju Samson now joining the team, Chennai team can have a very exciting top order. Ayush Mhatre is expected to open with Samson and captain Ruturaj Gaikwad will bat at number 3.
In the modern era, teams want aggressive players who can attack the bowlers right from the powerplay and Samson’s cool-headed fearless batting makes him a perfect fit for CSK’s plans.
Du Plessis said, “It’s really good business from CSK. If you look at the superpowers over the years for CSK, you think about the opening pairs. Be it Vijay and Hussey or Watson and Ruturaj and I, the iconic opening stand. This will be another one of those, with Rutu also at 3. But the top three now looks really well balanced in terms of attacking players.”
Also read: RCB gets a big relief as Karnataka government approves Chinnaswamy Stadium for IPL 2026 matches
