- Chennai Super Kings achieved a historic powerplay start against SRH.
- CSK’s opening over yielded 17 runs, their second-highest ever.
- MS Dhoni was absent due to fitness, fueling retirement speculation.
IPL 2026: Chennai Super Kings may have ended on the losing side against Sunrisers Hyderabad, but the five-time champions still managed to script history with a blistering start at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Monday. Opting to bat first after winning the toss, CSK came out firing and registered one of their best powerplay starts in Indian Premier League history. Sanju Samson led the charge in the opening over, helping Chennai pile up 17 runs against Nitish Kumar Reddy.
The over turned out to be CSK’s second highest score in the first over of an IPL innings, only behind the 19 runs they had smashed against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens in the 2015 season.
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Sanju Samson Sparks Flying Start For Chennai
The first over began dramatically with Nitish Kumar Reddy bowling a no-ball. Sanju Samson made full use of the free hit by smashing a six before following it up with a boundary on the next delivery.
Although SRH managed to slow things down briefly with only two runs coming off the next three balls, Samson finished the over in style with another four.
The explosive beginning gave Chennai early momentum and thrilled the Chepauk crowd. Despite the strong start, however, SRH fought back later in the game and eventually secured an important victory.
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MS Dhoni Remains Absent, Retirement Rumours Continue
Former CSK captain MS Dhoni once again missed the match due to fitness concerns. Speaking at the toss, skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad confirmed that Dhoni was “not fit yet” but hinted that fans could still see him feature later in the tournament.
There is major specuation around Dhoni potentially announcing his retirement, but the legendary wicketkeeper-batter is yet to make any official announcement as such.
Sunrisers Hyderabad eventually chased down the target successfully to secure a Playoff spot, while Chennai were left to reflect on another missed opportunity despite a historic beginning to their innings.
