'Won't Be Surprised If Dhoni Gives Sanju Keeping Role'

New Delhi : 'Sanju Samson is the right guy to take over, and credit to Dhoni because he's hung around, waiting for the right person to come.'

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, 44, could be play most IPL 2026 games as an Impact Player like he did last season.

CSK could consider Sanju Samson as the vice-captain given his leadership experience at Rajasthan Royals.

Dhoni could hand over the wicket-keeping role to Samson during the season, says Anil Kumble.

A B de Villiers believe Mahendra Singh Dhoni is 'making up a spot for the wrong reasons' and wants the Chennai Super Kings to justify his inclusion in the team by batting higher up the order in the upcoming IPL 2026.

The South African legend said CSK's new signing wicket-keeper-batter Sanju Samson is the right player to take over from the legendary Dhoni, who batted lower down the order in IPL 2025 last year -- managing just 196 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of 135.17.

Dhoni, 44, could be limited to playing most of the matches as the Impact Player, with de Villiers also hinting that his role at CSK is more about 'branding'.

'It's very tricky and not straightforward. Brands are built over years, and CSK have built this empire over many years with this M S Dhoni figure that's always been there.

'When you mention CSK, you immediately think of Dhoni. I feel that in the last few years, his role has purely been about keeping that brand as strong as possible. That's why I don't see a role for him batting at eight or nine and not really doing enough, like last season,' de Villiers said on JioStar's IPL Today Live.

'We know he can be impactful with the bat, but if he's batting that low and not captaining, it feels like he's almost just making up for a spot for the wrong reasons.

'There's still a place for him, but he needs to bat higher, at least at six, maybe even at five or four at times. It's a tricky situation, but Sanju Samson is the right guy to take over, and credit to Dhoni because he's hung around, waiting for the right person to come.

'If MS plays,' de Villiers said, 'I want him to put himself under more pressure and be the guy to handle those big moments.'

Spin great Anil Kumble says while CSK are faced with the dilemma of sustaining Dhoni's legacy they would also having one eye on the future.

'Legacy will always be there, but you have to move on at some point. He has contributed a lot to the franchise, and the brand is now synonymous with the individual.

'Sachin Tendulkar played for India for 24 years, and then the next generation came in, but his legacy still remains and will continue for a long time. Similarly, the legacy of M S Dhoni for CSK and Indian cricket will remain forever, and that is not going to change.

'It is just a matter of understanding what CSK needs to do. They got a bit of a reality check last season when the likes of Ayush Mhatre and Dewald Brevis came in.

'The energy and the kind of cricket these youngsters played would have sparked a thought that it is time to start building a younger team, and that is exactly what they have done in this auction,' Kumble said.

Kumble believes India's World Cup hero Samson will boost CSK's fan following and his experience will be vital for the five-time IPL champions.

Samson, who played 11 seasons for the Rajasthan Royals, was their top run-getter across the IPL and Champions League T20, with 4,219 runs in 155 matches and 150 innings at a, strike rate of above 140, with two centuries and 26 innings.

'Icons from one generation to another, the baton has passed on in Indian cricket, from Sunil Gavaskar to Sachin, then to Virat, with M S Dhoni also part of that era,' Kumble said.

'You had the likes of Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly before the shift to M S Dhoni and Virat Kohli, who still carry that aura and continue to perform. In that sense, Sanju coming in is a great move for CSK.'

'The icing on the cake is his fantastic form leading into the IPL and winning the World Cup for India with three back-to-back knocks. I'm sure that will certainly contribute to the franchise's fan following.

'From a Chennai perspective, he fits their need, being Kerala-born, speaks Tamil, so there's a connect, a wicketkeeper-batter, so in a similar mould to MS, and his experience will be valuable for CSK.'

Kumble pointed out that Samson's experience of captaining the Royals -- 67 matches including 33 wins and 32 losses -- will make him an invaluable part of the CSK leadership group and tipped him to be the vice-captain.

'I think that's the perfect role for Sanju, handling those responsibilities almost like a vice-captain. He has captained Rajasthan for a long period of time, so that leadership role comes naturally to him, and that's something CSK will be looking for.

'Last year, when Ruturaj (Gaekwad) was injured, MS had to take over, and previously, when Ravindra Jadeja was also captain, M S Dhoni came back in as captain midway through the season.

'So there have been some challenges in identifying who the next captain would be for MS. Ruturaj was identified, and it is good that he continues as captain despite Sanju coming into the scheme of things.'

'I wouldn't be surprised if M S Dhoni gives Sanju the keeping role at some point during the season,' Kumble said.

'He will be part of the leadership group, and in case if Ruturaj is unavailable due to injury or otherwise, Sanju would probably take over rather than MS.'