MS Dhoni’s CSK legacy inspires Sanju Samson’s dream move to Chennai Super Kings

MS Dhoni’s name still pulls India’s next-gen stars toward Chennai Super Kings: and Sanju Samson is the latest to admit the pull.

Why Sanju Samson left Rajasthan Royals for CSK

Sanju Samson has laid bare the real reason behind his blockbuster move from Rajasthan Royals to Chennai Super Kings: his childhood dream of playing alongside MS Dhoni. In a candid interview on JioStar’s ‘Superstars’ show, the India opener called the switch a “dream come true.” Samson, 29, said the chance to wear CSK’s yellow and share the field with Dhoni: his idol since boyhood: was the driving force behind leaving Jaipur after a decade.

Samson spent his early years under two giants of Indian cricket: Sreesanth and Rahul Dravid. Both shaped his game and his mindset, but it was Dhoni’s legacy that pulled him east to Chennai. “Playing with MS Dhoni is something I’ve wanted since I was a kid,” Samson said. “That’s why I chose CSK.”

The mentors who shaped his career

Sreesanth, the fiery pacer, spotted Samson’s talent when the Kerala prodigy was just 16 and dropped from his state side. “Sreesanth bhai is a very generous person,” Samson recalled. “He forced my way into the Kerala team for a Ranji Trophy match after I’d been left out.” Samson responded with a double-century: 122 and 51: and Sreesanth whisked him to Rajasthan Royals trials in Jaipur.

Rahul Dravid, then RR’s head coach, took notice. “He told me, ‘I will make you play. In this team, I can promise you that you’ll get a chance,’” Samson said. But patience tested him. He watched from the dugout for six IPL games, scribbling notes after every chat with Watson, Rahane, and Dravid himself.

The break that changed everything

Samson finally forced his way into the XI after Dishant Yagnik’s injury in 2013. “There was no plan to play me,” he said. “But Yagnik bhai got hurt, and they threw me in against Punjab.” Batting at six, he blasted 27 not out and took four dismissals behind the stumps: a debut that launched his IPL career.

That debut came on 18 April 2013 in Mohali. Punjab piled 170, but Samson’s cameo and tidy glovework set the tone. “I was 18, angry, and I showed them what I could do,” he said. “I went berserk in the nets after hearing I’d have to wait longer.”

What CSK means to Samson now

Joining CSK wasn’t just a club switch: it was a dream fulfilled. “MS Dhoni is the reason I play cricket,” Samson said. “To share a dressing room with him, to learn from him: that’s priceless.” At 29, Samson is no longer the rookie Dravid promised a debut. He’s a three-time IPL captain and a mainstay for India. Yet the pull of Dhoni’s shadow remains.

CSK’s legacy, built on Dhoni’s captaincy and six trophies, still lures India’s brightest. Samson’s move proves Dhoni’s brand extends beyond trophies: it’s a magnet for talent. “I’m here to win more,” Samson said. “And to soak in every moment with him.”

CSK opens its 2026 IPL campaign on 22 March in Chennai. Samson will lead the Orange Army once more, with Dhoni in the dugout: a pairing that turns heads every season.