NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Kris Srikkanth has stirred the IPL chatter pot by declaring Sanju Samson as the ideal successor to MS Dhoni in the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) set-up, citing the Rajasthan Royals captain’s immense popularity in Tamil Nadu.Speaking on his YouTube channel on Saturday, Srikkanth praised Samson’s skills and brand value in Chennai while reacting to media reports suggesting that the Kerala-born wicketkeeper-batter could be on the move. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“To tell you the truth, Sanju is a brilliant player and he is very popular in Chennai. He has got a good brand image in Chennai. As I said, I will be the first one to pick him for Chennai if he is willing to leave and comes this side,” Srikkanth said.

Srikkanth, however, also noted that CSK already have Ruturaj Gaikwad as a long-term captaincy option. “He is the right replacement for MS Dhoni. Dhoni can maximum play this season, maybe not the year after and then you can have a smooth transition. But I feel if Ruturaj Gaikwad has been given the captaincy, he should be continued with.”Dhoni, 44, is in the twilight of his glittering IPL career. Last season, he returned as captain after Gaikwad’s injury, but CSK struggled, finishing bottom with just four wins. Used as a finisher, Dhoni scored 196 runs at a strike rate above 135.Addressing rumours of a rift between Samson and Royals’ head coach Rahul Dravid, Srikkanth stressed the franchise’s stake in the player. “They have formed the team around him… I would not let go of Sanju Samson. If they want to promote Riyan Parag as captain, that is their choice. I would still play Samson as a batter. He has been paid Rs 18 crore.”Samson, who joined RR in 2013, has amassed 4,027 IPL runs, including two centuries. Last season, despite injuries, he averaged 35.63 in nine matches.