Chennai Super Kings (CSK) coach Stephen Fleming has come to the defense of marquee signing Sanju Samson, who has struggled to replicate his T20 World Cup 2026 form in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. After a stellar performance in the World Cup, where he scored three consecutive fifties, Samson has managed only 6 and 7 runs in his first two matches for CSK. Despite these disappointing scores and the team's consecutive losses, Fleming stated that it is unrealistic to expect Samson to perform at peak levels every match. He noted that T20 cricket can be unpredictable and assured fans that Samson is training well and is capable of being a match-winner. Meanwhile, CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has also faced challenges at the crease, scoring just 6 runs against the Rajasthan Royals and 28 against the Punjab Kings. Some commentators, including Michael Vaughan and Simon Doull, speculated that Gaikwad may feel threatened by Samson's presence in the team. On a positive note, young batter Ayush Mhatre has shown promise, scoring 73 runs off 43 balls against Punjab Kings. CSK's next challenge is against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 5, where Samson's past record against RCB includes 484 runs in 24 innings.