Ravichandran Ashwin feels a Sanju Samson trade from RR to CSK is unlikely due to budget limits and player valuations. He notes that acquiring Samson would hinder RR from securing valuable players in return, citing Ravi Bishnoi from LSG as an example.
Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes that the Rajasthan Royals trading their skipper, Sanju Samson, to the Chennai Super Kings is unlikely to happen ahead of the next season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Samson has been news of late for the rumours and speculations around his potential departure from Rajasthan Royals, either through a trade deal or possible release into the auction pool ahead of the IPL 2026 season. The report suggested that there have been growing differences between Samson and the Royals, especially on the franchise’s decision to release Jos Buttler, who played for the side from 2018 to 2024.
The recent report emerged that the Rajasthan Royals asked the Chennai Super Kings for Ravindra Jadeja, Ruturaj Gaikwad, or Shivam Dube to be part of a potential swap deal if they were to consider trading Sanju Samson. However, the CSK franchise reportedly refused to entertain the proposal by the Royals.
Will the Sanju Samson-CSK trade happen?
There is a massive uncertainty looming over Sanju Samson’s future at the Rajasthan Royals and a potential trade deal with the Chennai Super Kings, who earlier expressed their interest in having a wicketkeeper-batter on the board if he were available.
However, Ravichandran Ashwin feels that the trade deal between the Rajasthan Royals and the Chennai Super Kings for Samson will unlikely get through, stating that any team acquiring his services might have to balance their budget, making it harder for RR to acquire players, like Ravi Bishnoi, in return.
“Why the CSK-RR trade won’t work is because if Sanju is traded to CSK, and RR then tries to trade with other teams, they’re unlikely to get valuable players in return,” the 38-year-old said on his YouTube show, ‘Kutti Stories’.
“For example, if RR wants a spinner like Ravi Bishnoi and approach LSG, the problem is that if LSG acquire Sanju and give away Bishnoi, they also have to manage the remaining purse required to retain Sanju, which becomes LSG’s responsibility,” he added.
Sanju Samson played only for two teams in his IPL career, the Rajasthan Royals and the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). He played for Delhi Daredevils when Rajasthan Royals were serving a two-year ban from participating in the Indian Premier League after they were found guilty of match-fixing.
When the Rajasthan Royals returned to the IPL in 2018, Sanju Samson was retained by the franchise, but they bought him for 8 crore at the IPL auction. The wicketkeeper-batter was made captain in 2021 and led in the next four seasons till 2025. In 2022, under Samson’s leadership, RR reached the final for the first time since 2008, but lost to debutant Gujarat Titans.
‘RR don’t much to gain from this trade deal’
Further speaking about the Rajasthan Royals’ trading of Sanju Samson with Chennai Super Kings in exchange for either Jadeja, Ruturaj, or Dube, Ashwin stated that CSK is unlikely to release them, adding that RR would not gain anything from this swap deal.
“CSK generally don’t believe in trading. They aren’t going to trade players like Ravindra Jadeja or Shivam Dube. So, in all likelihood, Sanju coming to CSK is bleak, for the reasons I’ve explained. RR don’t have much to gain from this kind of trade.” Ashwin concluded.
Chennai Super Kings are unlikely to trade Ravindra Jadeja, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Shivam Dube for Sanju Samson, as the trio is reportedly part of the team’s plans for the next IPL season, where they aim to clinch their record-breaking 6th IPL title.
The direct swap deal for Sanju Samson and Chennai Super Kings is unlikely to happen at present unless lengthy negotiations take place between the two franchises change the equation, or Samson’s name comes up at the auction.