Ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, Sanju Samson, the standout player and captain of the Rajasthan Royals since 2021, has formally asked to be released or traded. Prior to the IPL 2025 mega auction, the cricket player was retained for INR 18 crore. He has been a key player and leader for RR.
He is the team’s most capped and highest-scoring player with over 4,000 runs in 149 matches. However, these considerations have apparently taken a toll during a dismal IPL 2025 campaign in which Sanju Samson missed multiple games due to a hand ailment and the Royals finished ninth.
However, Sanju Samson has a deal with RR through the end of the 2027 Indian Premier League, thus the franchise must accept any trades or releases.
There have been significant disagreements between Sanju Samson and the RR management, per a Cricbuzz report. The Kerala batter’s decision to leave the team was confirmed by his family and close friends. His fall to number three last season, which was brought on by the play of youthful opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal, is said to have deepened the breach. Sanju Samson , who hopes to be a consistent opener for India in the Twenty20 Internationals, is reportedly not satisfied with the batting order adjustment.
Several teams are contacted by the Royals on trade options.
Additionally, rumours of a disagreement with head coach Rahul Dravid also made news, particularly after Samson was taken off the field during an April 2025 game against the Delhi Capitals. However, Dravid stated that he had a very excellent relationship with Samson and openly denied the accusations, calling them unfounded.
According to reports, the Royals have contacted a number of teams to discuss trade possibilities. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have expressed interest in signing Sanju Samson, but they are limited financially. To make room for the INR 18 crore deal, any alteration would need CSK to let go of key players or sell off a number of benchwarmers.
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