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The Sanju Samson–Chennai Super Kings (CSK) trade talk has reached a fever pitch just ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 retention deadline, with the highly anticipated move from Rajasthan Royals (RR) to the five-time champions all but confirmed. Former CSK batter Robin Uthappa has not held back in analyzing the immense strategic implications of this deal, specifically regarding the restructuring of CSK’s batting order.
Robin Uthappa’s urgent warning to CSK regarding Sanju Samson for IPL 2026
Uthappa, as quoted as saying by the Crictracker, delivered a strong warning that Sanju Samson’s entire international career could be jeopardized if CSK uses him lower down the batting order, a position the Indian team had previously experimented with before dropping him from a tour midway. Uthappa believes that Samson’s immense potential and proven record as an opener necessitate a top-order role in the IPL to keep him in the selectors’ minds for the T20 World Cup 2026.
Uthappa pulled no punches, stating: “I hate the idea of Sanju batting down the order. I think you’ll probably see Sanju and Ruturaj opening the batting, or Sanju or Urvil opening the batting.”
Uthappa further emphasized the high stakes for Samson’s national career:
“If Sanju has to continue to push for a spot in the Indian team at the top of the order, he has to open the batting. If he bats anywhere below that number, then he’s doing himself a massive disservice, and they [selectors] will use that as an excuse against [him],” the former CSK’s number 3 added.
Samson already became the first and only batter to record three T20I centuries in a calendar year as an opener in the previous season, underscoring his capability to dominate from the start.
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Uthappa picks the new top order of CSK for IPL 2026
The tactical solution for accommodating Samson at the top of the order is interestingly found in the batting preference of CSK’s captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad. Unlike most modern T20 openers, Gaikwad has shown a unique willingness and even a desire to bat at the anchor position of No. 3, a preference that Uthappa finds strategically questionable for the captain’s own international prospects.
Uthappa highlighted this oddity, saying: “Funnily enough, Ruturaj wants to bat at No. 3 in T20 cricket, and I don’t understand the logic of that. When he was captain, he wanted to bat at No. 3 till he got injured last year in the IPL. That is so self-defeating because you have just kind of creating a space for yourself in Indian cricket.”
Uthappa elaborated on the negative consequence for Gaikwad:
“You’ve actually created a space for yourself where you can actually push for a position there, and he did this when Virat was still playing, right?… And then suddenly he’s out in the lurch trying to find his way back in. I hope he does. I really like to see him [Gaikwad] and Sanju open. Urvil at No. 3,” he concluded.
Despite his criticism, Gaikwad’s preference allows the franchise to feature two high-impact batters in the top three: the destructive Samson opening, and Gaikwad controlling the middle overs from the No. 3 spot. This flexibility is pivotal to the trade, which is unofficially expected to be a straight swap for Ravindra Jadeja (retained at 18 crore) and potentially Sam Curran, a massive transaction that would solidify the new-look CSK top-order around their newly acquired star.
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