Indian Premier League (IPL) There is discussion about the possibility of large-scale player trade who will become the captain of Rajasthan Royals. sanju samson move towards Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja And possibly as another player Sam Curran,
Sanju Samson and Chennai Super Kings’ succession planning under MS Dhoni
The high-profile swap is widely seen as the final succession plan for the Yellow Army, which reportedly also includes management ms dhoni himself, identifying the accomplished Indian wicketkeeper-batsman as the ideal candidate to take over the long-term wicketkeeping and possibly captaincy reins from the great Dhoni.
This anticipated move may come after Ruturaj GaikwadA challenging captaincy tenure and injury woes in the 2025 season, which saw CSK finish bottom of the table, partly due to his own injuries and inconsistent form, highlighted the franchise’s urgent need for an experienced and charismatic Indian leader like Samson. Samson’s desire to change franchises has reportedly fueled trade talks, which are expected to conclude before the IPL 2026 retention deadline, setting the stage for a dramatic reshuffle in the league landscape.
Sanju Samson’s IPL journey: 3 franchises so far
1. Rajasthan Royals (RR): The origin of his IPL career
Samson’s first identity in IPL comes from Rajasthan. He joined the franchise for the first time 2013 At the age of 18 and making an immediate impact, he won Emerging Player of the Year AwardHe remained with RR until the team was suspended after the 2015 season. Upon the team’s return in 2018, Samson was re-purchased for a huge sum and became the face of the franchise.
Sanju’s career reached its pinnacle when he was appointed captain ahead of the 2021 season. Under his leadership, the Royals achieved significant success, reaching the IPL final in 2022, their first finals appearance since the inaugural season in 2008. In the 2024 season, he recorded his personal best IPL performance, scoring 531 runs at an average of. 48.27 and strike rate 153.47Before an injury and subsequent team decline led to the Royals finishing in ninth place. Samson is the franchise’s all-time leading run-scorer with over 4,000 runs, and he was retained ahead of the 2025 season for Rs 18 crore.
2. Delhi Daredevils/Delhi Capitals (DD/DC): Mid-career switch
Samson contracted after two-year suspension from Rajasthan and Chennai Delhi Daredevils (Now Delhi Capitals) for the 2016 season. He played for the franchise for two seasons before returning to the Royals in 2018. During his time with Delhi, Samson displayed his explosive ability, scoring his maiden IPL century (102 runs). Rising Pune Supergiant In 2017. In these two seasons (2016–2017), he was a reliable middle-order batsman, contributing important innings and demonstrating his ability to adapt quickly to different team formations and pressure situations. His stint here further cemented his reputation as a versatile wicketkeeper-batsman who was capable of winning matches single-handedly.
3. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR): The Unplayed Debut
While his playing career officially started with Rajasthan, Sanju Samson was initially selected Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) In 2012 Season. He was signed at a base price of Rs 8 lakh, but he was unable to make it into the team’s playing eleven. As a result, he spent the entire 2012 season on the bench without playing a single match. Although this was his first association with an IPL franchise, he was released by the team before the 2013 season, which eventually led to his move to Rajasthan Royals, where his career truly took off.