Sanju Samson not in peak physical condition, says Sanjay Manjrekar; Cites Virat Kohli example

Sanjay Manjrekar believes Sanju Samson should take inspiration from Virat Kohli when it comes to fitness, suggesting that Samson is not yet at the same physical level as the former India captain.

Samson has been one of the standout performers for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026. After struggling in his first three matches following his blockbuster Rs 18 crore move from Rajasthan Royals, the wicketkeeper-batter staged a remarkable comeback. Since then, he has scored two centuries and a half-century, amassing 402 runs in 10 matches at an average of 57.42 to remain firmly in the Orange Cap race.

His latest match-winning effort came against Delhi Capitals, where he smashed an unbeaten 87 off 52 balls on a tricky pitch to guide CSK to victory and earn the Player of the Match award. Samson also became the first batter in IPL history to be involved in two 100-plus partnerships against Delhi Capitals in the same season.

Earlier in the campaign, Samson registered an unbeaten 115 against Delhi Capitals in Chennai and followed it up with another century 101 against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. He also crossed the landmark of 5,000 IPL runs during CSK’s clash against Kolkata Knight Riders in April 2026.

While Samson has transformed his season and carried forward the momentum from his memorable T20 World Cup comeback, Manjrekar feels the 31-year-old still has room for improvement in terms of fitness and longevity. The former India batter urged Samson to follow Kohli’s disciplined fitness standards in order to sustain his purple patch in the shortest format.

130854797

“I’m saying that about Sanju Samson as well, who’s also not a 25-year-old because he’s hit the peak of his achievements, just to sustain it. He could also do the same thing, because I see him also not being in peak physical condition,” the Mumbaikar said on Sportstar’s Insight Edge Podcast.

“When you have a great example, like Virat Kohli, who has had such a long career. You know, just because he’s given fitness so much importance. He’s had tremendous skills, but he’s made sure that the body doesn’t let him down. Because that’s the one you can control,” he added.