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Sanju Samson has a strong chance of becoming the next captain of Chennai Super Kings as the curtain gradually falls on the era of MS Dhoni. Although the franchise is in no rush to announce its new skipper immediately, it has already begun moving in that direction, sources told CricBlogger.
“Whether Sanju is named captain from next year or the following season, he is 200 per cent the next captain of CSK,” a source revealed .
However, another source close to CSK said that Sanju is not set to become captain just yet. The franchise is likely to take a call only after next year’s IPL, and if Sanju is retained, he may then negotiate for captaincy under a new set-up from the 2028 season onwards.
Sanju is already in contention, alongside Ishan Kishan, to become India’s next T20 captain, and with former cricketers like Ravi Shastri as well as certain members of India’s coaching staff backing Sanju, his elevation as CSK captain appears inevitable.
Besides, Sanju has had a strong public support system in place, and even during phases when he was repeatedly in and out of the Indian T20 side, “Justice for Sanju” had virtually become a household slogan. From politicians to major influencers, many openly backed him and rooted for the success he is enjoying today.
Like the Indian team set-up, Sanju has already built a strong level of trust within CSK and has adopted a style similar to Dhoni in the way he approaches a match. Even when he is changing field positions between overs, from behind he almost resembles Dhoni in his mannerisms.
Right after Dhoni, CSK tried making Ravindra Jadeja their captain, which was followed by Rituraj Gaekwad, who has benn doing a decent job as a captain for last few years. However, changing from Gaikwad to Samson would also require a good reason. And if Sanju is already in rhe fray for leadership role in India’s T20, why won’t the franchise encash on this opportunity?
