Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson has reportedly asked the Rajasthan Royals to either let him go before the 2026 mega-auction or help him make a trade. This news has sent shockwaves through the IPL. Sources say that this formal request comes at a time when the athlete and the franchise are having a “deepening rift.”
Cricbuzz says that things have become a lot worse. People close to Samson, like family members and other players, have said that “he no longer wants to continue with the Royals” and that “the relationship hasn’t been the same as it was before.”
Rajasthan’s choice to change Samson’s batting position seems to be a big reason why things are becoming worse. Samson has often opened the innings, even for the Indian T20 team. But the Royals decided to pair budding star Vaibhav Suryavanshi with Yashasvi Jaiswal halfway through the last season. This successful opening pair moved Samson down to number three, which he is said to be angry about. But the report says this could not be the only area of contention.
This news makes things hard for the Rajasthan Royals. Samson, who was kept for INR 18 crore before the IPL 2025 major auction, is signed through 2027. They are looking into trade options and have talked to other organizations, but they are in a tight spot: keeping a player who is unhappy could cause problems in the locker room, but letting go of their long-time captain and homegrown star is just as hard.
The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are said to be the most interested of the interested parties. CSK sees Samson as a possible long-term replacement for MS Dhoni, who is scheduled to retire soon. But trade talks have come to a standstill. The report says that CSK doesn’t want to trade any of its current players, and the Royals aren’t interested in a one-way, all-cash deal for a player like Samson who is worth a lot of money. If the Royals decide to let him go, CSK’s best bet is to start a bidding battle during the auction.
MS Dhoni and CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad have been practicing at the team’s high-performance center and have met with team management. However, it is not clear if they talked about Samson’s position during these meetings.