'It clearly shows he's in outstanding form' - Suresh Raina credits Sanju Samson's exceptional century in MI vs CSK

Suresh Raina has been in awe of Sanju Samson's brilliant unbeaten century for Chennai Super Kings against Mumbai Indians, as the two five-time champion teams met at the Wankhede Stadium for Match 33 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Raina praised Samson for taking time to carve out his innings perfectly, accelerating at the perfect time and pushing the scoreboard forward.

Raina said that CSK management's move to trade Samson in is actually working wonderfully for them at the moment, as despite his failures in the first few games, the Kerala-born has made the opportunity count.

"Sanju Samson was brilliant because he built his innings smartly. He took his time early, played with a straight bat, and respected the good deliveries, especially against someone like Jasprit Bumrah. At the same time, he was quick to capitalise on anything loose, using the pace and placing the ball really well," Raina said after the game via JioStar.

"That balance between patience and intent stood out. When you look at his recent scores, a century at the start of the tournament, 48, and now another hundred, it clearly shows he's in outstanding form," the former CSK cricketer, who won four IPL titles with the franchise, expressed.

Meanwhile, Harbhajan Singh, who has played for both CSK and MI in the IPL, believes that Samson's exceptional innings stood out in the El Clasico encounter of IPL 2026 on Thursday. The former India cricketer mentioned how Sanju has done total justice to his position and carried the responsibility on his shoulders when the situation arose.

"Sanju Samson stood out because of his game awareness. A lot of players have talent, but very few understand how to pace an innings in different situations. He recognised the importance of batting till the end, especially with a young side around him," the legendary off-spinner expressed.

"After his half-century, he shifted gears, focused on singles and doubles, and ensured he stayed till the last phase. With wickets falling at the other end, he took responsibility and finished strongly. For me, this was one of the finest innings in terms of awareness and determination," Harbhajan concluded.

Samson is currently third on the list of highest run-getters of the tournament thus far, with a couple of centuries already to his name, with only the first half of the IPL having been completed. He will want to continue his rhythm and help CSK attain their sixth trophy in the marquee 20-over competition.