IPL 2026 Bulletin March 18: Sanju Samson set to join CSK Camp, KKR players reach Kolkata

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Chennai Super Kings are set to host a mega event on Sunday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, while the Kolkata Knight Riders players have reached Kolkata for the pre-season camp. Check out the best stories across IPL 2026 for Wednesday, March 18.

CSK set for mega event on March 22

Chennai Super Kings will host a grand fan event titled ROAR'26 on March 22 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, ahead of IPL 2026. The spectacle features a reunion of "OG" CSK stars like Suresh Raina, Matthew Hayden, M Vijay, and S Badrinath facing the current squad in exciting match-ups. Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman will deliver a live performance, creating an immersive celebration with music, lights, and fan experiences. Tickets went live on March 15 via the CSK app and District platforms.

Cummins, Hazlewood to miss first half of IPL 2026

Australian pacers Pat Cummins (Sunrisers Hyderabad) and Josh Hazlewood (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) will miss the early matches of IPL 2026 due to ongoing recovery from injuries. Cummins is rehabbing a back issue that sidelined him from parts of the Ashes and T20 World Cup, while Hazlewood continues physio care without full Cricket Australia clearance. Both are expected to feature later in the season, but they will skip the opener on March 28 and initial games for their teams.

Ajinkya Rahane, Other KKR stars reach Kolkata ahead of IPL 2026

Ajinkya Rahane, confirmed to continue as Kolkata Knight Riders captain for IPL 2026, along with other team stars, has arrived in Kolkata for pre-season preparations. Rahane, who led KKR effectively last season and will bat at No. 3, expressed excitement on social media about the upcoming campaign starting March 28 against Mumbai Indians. Rahane reached in Kolkata on Tuesday, while new signing Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani also landed ahead of the season.

KKR not eyeing to replace Harshit Rana

Kolkata Knight Riders have decided against signing a replacement for injured pacer Harshit Rana ahead of IPL 2026. Rana, ruled out for the season due to a knee injury requiring surgery after the T20 World Cup, will miss the entire tournament. KKR believes their current Indian pace options-Akash Deep, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi, and others-are sufficient to cover the gap, opting not to pursue immediate reinforcements.

Sanju Samson set to join CSK camp on Sunday

Sanju Samson, who joined Chennai Super Kings via a blockbuster trade from Rajasthan Royals, is set to join the CSK pre-season camp soon, with reports indicating arrival around Sunday. The wicketkeeper-batter, fresh from T20 World Cup success, has spoken with MS Dhoni and is eager to integrate, potentially opening or batting at No. 3 while learning from the veteran.

Samson ideal to take over from Dhoni: ABD

AB de Villiers has praised Sanju Samson as the ideal long-term successor to MS Dhoni at CSK, highlighting Dhoni's patience in grooming a replacement. With Samson now at CSK after his trade, ABD noted the wicketkeeper-batter's skills make him perfect to eventually take over wicketkeeping duties and leadership elements. "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."