Former india player backs Sanju Samson for No.3 spot, predicts CSK batting line-up for IPL 2026

India's former batting coach Sanjay Bangar predicted Chennai Super Kings (CSK) playing XI for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The former player suggested that CSK should go with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ayush Mhatre as opening pair. Gaikwad has always batted in the opening spot and has performed well for CSK as well. 

However, they did experiment with his batting order and the team struggled. They ended up at the bottom of the points table and the team's batting wasn't impressive either. Meanwhile, Bangar also suggested that Samson should bat at No. 3 as that position might help him score runs in the IPL. 

"Ruturaj Gaikwad should bat at the top of the order only. Last year, they tried to separate Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad so that the entire cream isn't at the top. However, that thought process didn't give them success. Ruturaj Gaikwad has played his best cricket at the top of the order," the former India batting coach said.

"He plays very well there, and Ayush Mhatre plays with him. I see Sanju Samson playing at No. 3. Dewald Brevis will play at No. 4. Either Shivam Dube or Kartik Sharma can come at No. 5. As regards adopting a new approach, I feel this team has a lot of might in the batting department," he added.

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When will CSK play first match in IPL 2026?

The Men in Yellow will play their first match on March 30 against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Guwahati. This is one of the most anticipated clash of the tournament since the trade happened between the two teams. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was traded to RR while Sanju Samson came to CSK. Both are talented players and the trade came as a shock for many fans. 

Despite that, some are happy as Samson has joined CSK. They needed a keeper after MS Dhoni and Samson is a good option. The Men in Yellow have a young batting attack this season and will hope to see some powerpacked performances from players like Mhatre, Urvil Patel, Samson, Kartik Sharma, and others, 

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