Former Indian star cricketer Ajinkya Rahane made a shocking comment on India’s 2026 T20 World Cup hero Sanju Samson. The former CSK star feels that Samson has something in common with former Indian captain MS Dhoni and it is not his explosive ability.
Sanju Samson was a part of India’s T20I XI under Gautam Gambhir, and he took T20I cricket by storm in 2024. He became the first batsman to score three centuries in T20I cricket in the same calendar year. He also scored two centuries on India’s tour to South Africa.
However, Sanju did not have the best start to 2025 and soon after the Champions Trophy, when Shubman Gill returned to the Indian team, Samson had to compromise his position as the Indian vice-captain. This dealt a huge blow to their campaign and Samson was eventually dropped from the team after failing to make an impact in the middle order.
Sanju Samson’s brilliant entry in ICC T20 World Cup
Till yesterday, no one believed that Sanju Samson could win the match for India in such an impressive manner after his poor performance in the New Zealand series. However, Samson showed the character of a true star and performed for India on the biggest stage.
New Zealand scored less than 100 in 5 T20I matches in the series, reaching 321 runs, which is the second highest score in only 5 matches in the ICC T20 World Cup. Samson’s innings was not only a relief for India but also a big challenge for the opposition team, who were not prepared for the explosive right-hander.
Earlier, Gautam Gambhir had also mentioned that Samson rising to the occasion and including him in the Indian team was to add firepower to the Indian top order and not just a forced change due to India’s struggles against off-spin.
He will have fans all over India- Ajinkya Rahane
Indian team’s outgoing star Ajinkya Rahane feels that Samson, who till now had a reputation in the southern states, will now get love and respect across the country. Samson was truly India’s hero in their spectacular three-match win against the three giants of international cricket.
“Sanju had a huge fan following in South India. Now he is playing for Chennai, but from here he will have fans all over India. The runs he has scored and the contribution he has made is amazing.”
Ajinkya Rahane said, “It’s great to see, as a player, it feels really good when the fans are behind you. When the fans are shouting and asking to get Sanju Samson in the team, and we know why they were talking about Sanju Samson.”
MS Dhoni- Similar to Ajinkya Rahane
Samson has been bought by Rajasthan Royals from Chennai Super Kings, and after seeing his recent exploits in the ICC T20 World Cup, they may have little regrets. However, it is a moment of anticipation for CSK fans, as the South Indian superstar will now play for the Men in Yellow in the IPL.
The IPL season begins on March 28, and former CSK star Ajinkya Rahane has noticed some notable similarities between CSK legend MS Dhoni and new poster boy Sanju Samson.
‘Sanju Samson has a calm aura like MS Dhoni’
How did Samson make a comeback in the T20 World Cup?@jinkyarahane88 & @Michael Vaughn Discuss on Cricbuzz Live#T20WorldCup #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/2aCjpzvR8T
– Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) 9 March 2026
“He is a quality player; he also follows MS Dhoni. Now he is playing for Chennai Super Kings. He keeps himself really cool and composed under pressure, which makes him somewhat similar to MS Dhoni. MS always likes to remain calm. As I said, Sanju has always had a huge fan following from South India, but now it is all over India.”