Rumors are swirling around Sanju Samson potentially leaving Rajasthan Royals for Chennai Super Kings. CSK has expressed interest, viewing Samson as a potential replacement for MS Dhoni.
Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has been in the news of late, with speculations emerging that he is likely to leave Rajasthan Royals and join Chennai Super Kings ahead of the next season of the Indian Premier League.
After having a disappointing campaign in the IPL 2025, where they finished at the bottom of the points table for the first time in their history of the tournament, Chennai Super Kings have reportedly started to make plans for a major overhaul for the next season of the cash-rich T20 league in the world.
Ruturaj Gaikwad led CSK in the first few matches of the last season before he was ruled out due to an elbow injury, and MS Dhoni took over the captaincy duties. However, the fortunes of the five-time IPL champions did not change as they failed to qualify for the playoffs for the second consecutive time. This was the first time that the Chennai Super Kings could not make it to the knockout stage of the IPL for the second season in a row.
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Sanju Samson’s rumours of joining the CSK
Just a month after the conclusion of IPL 2025, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru clinching their maiden trophy in 18 years, Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson has been heavily linked with his move to Chennai Super Kings ahead of the next season of the Indian Premier League.
It was speculated that Chennai Super Kings were looking at Sanju Samson as a potential replacement for MS Dhoni, who is currently at fag end of his career. Since Samson is a wicketkeeper and has captaincy credentials under his belt, the Chennai-based IPL franchise might have seen the Kerala cricketer as a potential successor to Dhoni, someone who can not only fill the void behind the stumps but also lead the team with composure and experience in high-pressure situations.
It has been speculated that Sanju Samson will move to the Chennai Super Kings through a trade deal.. The rumoured trade deal sees Chennai parting ways with two players, Ravichandran Ashwin and Shivam Dube, for INR 21.75 crore to have the Rajasthan Royals skipper released and brought into the CSK fold.
Despite strong rumours, Sanju Samson has remained tight-lipped about the ongoing speculations of him leaving the Rajasthan Royals and joining the Chennai Super Kings ahead of the next IPL season, neither confirming nor denying reports.
It was reported that there were internal rifts between the RR management and Sanju Samson with regard to player retention strategies, captaincy changes, and injury setbacks, which may have contributed to the skipper’s growing dissatisfaction within the franchise.
Chennai Super Kings are interested in Sanju Samson
Among growing rumours of Sanju Samson’s potential move to Chennai Super Kings, the franchise expressed their interest in having the Rajasthan Royals skipper on board. According to the report by Cricbuzz, CSK are looking at options and ways to sign Samson if he is available.
“We are definitely looking at Sanju. He is an Indian batter who is a keeper and an opener. So if he is available, we will certainly have a look at the option of having him in our fold.” A CSK official told Cricbuzz.
“Who we will trade him with we have not taken that call because the matter has not gone that far. But yes, in principle, we are interested," the CSK official added.
The Cricbuzz further reported that Sanju Samson has been approached by two more franchises to explore a potential move ahead of IPL 2026. If Samson moves to Chennai Super Kings, he will direct replacement for MS Dhoni. However, it is uncertain whether he would be offered leadership roles or if they will stick with Ruturaj Gaikwad to lead CSK in the next season.
Sanju Samson’s journey with the Rajasthan Royals
Sanju Samson joined the Rajasthan Royals in 2013 after the scouting team, led by Rahul Dravid, spotted his talent during the trials. Since then, the Kerala cricketer has been part of the franchise, barring 2016 and 2017 when the Royals were suspended for two years due to match-fixing allegations.
In 2021, Sanju Samson was appointed as the captain of the Rajasthan Royals, and a year later, he led the team to their first final since the inaugural season in 2008, but they failed to get hold of the trophy after losing to debutant Gujarat Titans. In the IPL 2024, Samson took the Rajasthan Royals to the playoffs, where they defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the eliminator before losing to Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 2.
Sanju Samson is the most successful captain for the Rajasthan Royals, having led the team to 33 wins in 67 matches. He is also the leading run-getter for the side in the IPL, amassing 4027 runs, including 2 centuries and 21 fifties, at an average of 31.70 in 149 matches,
