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CSK squash Sanju Samson trade rumour; Rajasthan Royals captaincy, retention fate hinge on owner: Report
Sanju Samson’s future at Rajasthan Royals remained uncertain as IPL 2026 retention buzz grew ahead of the December mini-auction.
With the mini-auction for the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) fast approaching, the buzz around the IPL retentions has once again picked up pace. The BCCI has yet to set an official deadline for all 10 franchises to announce their retention list, but it has been rumoured that the auction for next year's IPL will be held around mid-December. IPL Auctions always present an interesting dynamic for the franchises and players alike, but one player who has managed to grab more eyeballs than everyone else is Sanju Samson, more so because of the speculations surrounding his future at the Rajasthan Royals.
A Cricbuzz report had earlier claimed that Samson himself approached the Rajasthan Royals management after the end of the IPL 2025, stating that he wanted to leave the franchise and urged them to either release or trade him. Not only was this asserted by members of his family, but a few players close to him in the IPL circuit also mentioned that the relationship between Samson and the franchise had turned sour. It added that based on the contract, which will end after the 2027 season, Rajasthan can still retain him, meaning Samson would be left with little recourse. But at the same time, the franchises also prefer a happy dressing room.
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Hence, the inaugural champions went out in search of a suitable trade deal. Amid these rumours, Chennai Super Kings emerged as favourites. But the murmurs of Samson moving to Chennai, which made sense given that the team has long been in search of a replacement for MS Dhoni, were quashed by franchise officials, according to a latest report in Money Control.
The report also mentioned that if Samson is retained by Rajasthan, which hinges entirely on Manoj Badale, the Royals' principal owner, there is a possibility that he may no longer serve as captain. Riyan Parag, who filled in the role on a few occasions last season when Samson was nursing an injury, emerged as a strong candidate to replace the wicketkeeper-batter. Sources also told the website that Yashasvi Jaiswal is being considered an option for captaincy.
Samson’s association with the Rajasthan Royals dates back to 2013, right after he was released by the Kolkata Knight Riders. Overall, he played 149 innings in the IPL for the Royals, scoring 4,219 runs with 26 fifties and two centuries. He had been leading the team since 2021, after taking over the reins from Steve Smith.
