Sanju Samson, Rajasthan Royals (RR), and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are currently hot topics in the cricket world as the IPL retention deadline is fast approaching. November 15 is the deadline for franchises to confirm the players they want to continue in IPL 2026.
At present, there is a huge uproar regarding the Samson trade, because the Indian wicketkeeper-batsman has already made up his mind to leave Rajasthan Royals. And the 2008 IPL champions have already decided to move on from their star player and are looking for alternatives.
CSK resume talks with RR as KKR’s Sanju Samson joins race
Ever since Sanju expressed his desire to leave Desires, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have been in the news for securing the services of the Indian wicketkeeper-batsman. Earlier, Rajasthan Royals had demanded Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dubey and Ruturaj Gaikwad for Samson trade.
Also Read: CSK issues official statement on Ravindra Jadeja-Sanju Samson swap
But CSK refused and the discussions stalled until Friday, when reports emerged that the franchise had restarted discussions with RR for Samson. This time, CSK may agree to release Shivam Dubey to bring Samson on board ahead of the IPL 2026 auction in December.
Earlier, Delhi Capitals were also interested in Samson, but they did not agree to the Royals’ demand to exchange Tristan Stubbs and Samir Rizvi.
‘KKR-Sanju Samson trade deal still on’
Amidst the discussion, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were also in the race to sign the Kerala star after Delhi Capitals refused a cash deal for KL Rahul.
Currently, Kolkata Knight Riders need a captain and wicketkeeper and KL Rahul is perfect for this. Therefore, KKR had offered an all-cash deal, but DC rejected it, as they wanted some of their key players for the trade. Now, the KKR-DC deal is closed for Rahul.
Given this, Samson is still a perfect fit for the three-time IPL champions. Amid the discussion, RevSportz journalist, Rohit Juglan revealed that KKR is still very interested in Samson after DC rejected Rahul’s offer. He claimed that “Sanju Samson-KKR deal is still a possibility.”
CSK breaks silence on Sanju Samson trade rumors
Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings have finally addressed the rumors regarding a possible trade involving Sanju Samson. When asked about the speculations, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan dismissed the possibility of a potential player swap.
Also read: Before the 5th T20 match, Gautam Gambhir had a long conversation with Sanju Samson, told the reason for his neglect.
This has brought a sudden turn in the ongoing trade discussion. Sources close to the development have indicated that more clarity may come in the coming days. “No, not likely, not likely (on Samson trade),” IANS quoted Kasi Vishwanathan as saying.
KKR set to retain key players ahead of IPL 2026
Kolkata Knight Riders, on the other hand, are preparing for IPL 2026 with a clear plan to protect the powerhouse core that defines their identity. Sunil Narine and Andre Russell will remain untouched, while Rinku Singh and Varun Chakraborty will be retained from India.
Young players like Harshit Rana and Angkrish Raghuvanshi are seen as future superstars, so KKR will retain them as well. Ajinkya Rahane’s experience, Rovman Powell’s explosive power and Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s reliability are likely to be favored by the franchise for IPL 2026.
