Nandre Burger Rocks Samson’s CSK Debut, Six-Year Streak Ends
nandre burger produced the ball that dismantled Sanju Samson’s opening-day run of consecutive fifty-plus starts, bowling the Chennai Super Kings debutant for six on Monday at Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati (ET). The dismissal snapped Samson’s six-year run of fifty-plus scores in his opening IPL innings and left CSK reeling early in the chase. The delivery, clocked at 140. 2 kmph, crashed into the off stump after beating the bat.
Nandre Burger strikes and changes the tone
Nandre Burger landed a probing fuller-length away-swinger a shade fuller than a good length that moved late and found the stumps, leaving Samson undone. The pace bowler finished with three wickets as Chennai slumped to 38 for 4 in 5. 3 overs during the powerplay, while Sandeep Sharma added one scalp. Jofra Archer had earlier tested Samson with fuller deliveries around off stump, but it was Burger’s searing 140. 2 kmph ball that ended the innings’ opening hope on Monday (ET).
Samson’s CSK debut unravels amid high expectations
Samson had arrived in the IPL after a high-profile move from Rajasthan Royals ahead of last December’s auction and came into the match with recent T20 World Cup heroics behind him. He did not feature in the first five matches of the season but struck three consecutive fifty-plus scores in the World Cup knockouts and was named Player of the Tournament. Expectations that he might step into a leading role in the Chennai setup—widely discussed in the build-up—added weight to his CSK debut, but the early dismissal left those questions unresolved.
Immediate scoreboard and what it reveals
The wicket ended a sequence of six previous opening IPL scores that had started strongly: 74 vs CSK in 2020, 119 vs PBKS in 2021, 55 vs SRH in 2022, 55 vs SRH in 2023, 82* vs LSG in 2024 and 66 vs SRH in 2025. With three wickets to his name in the powerplay, nandre burger was central to the collapse that placed Chennai on the back foot early in the chase on Monday (ET).
What’s next
Chennai must regroup quickly to salvage the innings and test whether their middle order can withstand the renewed pace attack; the immediate focus will be on how Samson and his teammates respond in the overs ahead. Bowling-wise, the match will also track whether nandre burger can maintain the same penetrating length and pace as the game progresses, and how CSK’s batting depth counters the early swing and seaming threat on this surface.
