Sanju Samson Reaches 5,000 IPL Runs in 3,555 Balls

In Chennai, Sanju Samson etched his name into Indian Premier League history on Sunday by becoming the fastest Indian batter to reach 5,000 runs, achieving the milestone in just 3,555 balls faced during Chennai Super Kings' match against Gujarat Titans at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

The 31-year-old opener, who joined CSK ahead of the 2026 season, accomplished the feat with a boundary off Gujarat Titans pace bowler Kagiso Rabada during the powerplay. Samson had entered the innings needing three runs to reach the landmark and contributed 11 before being dismissed. His efficient strike rate and consistency propelled him past former Indian stalwarts, including Suresh Raina (3,620 balls), KL Rahul (3,688 balls), and MS Dhoni (3,691 balls). Globally, Samson ranks third quickest to the mark, trailing only AB de Villiers (3,288 balls) and David Warner (3,554 balls).

This achievement marks Samson as the 10th overall batter and eighth Indian to cross 5,000 IPL runs, spanning 185 matches since his debut in 2013. Over 4,000 of those runs came during his stints with Rajasthan Royals, where he played 149 games and scored two centuries. After a brief period with Delhi Capitals in 2016-17, he...