CSK want Sanju Samson, but must give a big player in return.
The Sanju Samson CSK trade talks have reportedly reopened just days before the IPL 2026 retention deadline, according to a few reliable sources. Reports were previously rife about Samson’s potential move to the five-time champions as MS Dhoni’s successor, even though nothing official came out.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) retained him for INR 18 crore before the mega auction, but injuries and inconsistent returns plagued his IPL 2025, and reports about rifts came during and after the season. However, once Rahul Dravid parted ways with the franchise after just one season, Samson was believed to have re-established his connection with the Royals.
Now that the Sanju Samson CSK trade is on the table again, the chances of some big changes are expected, with the Yellow Army giving away a few big players to complete the move. To get Samson, the Dhoni-led side must trade one of their two biggest retentions last season – Ravindra Jadeja and Shivam Dube.
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Both have been with the franchise for a while, with Jadeja being there since 2012, but CSK learnt the need for dynamic batters after an abysmal campaign, where they ended at the bottom. Then, Dhoni might not extend his career beyond IPL 2026, and Samson comes as an established option, with high wicketkeeping and captaincy credentials.
For the Sanju Samson CSK trade, one of Ravindra Jadeja or Shivam Dube must go due to the fee and squad construction purposes. If RR are giving their main player, they will expect one of the big ones in return, and Jadeja and Dube fall in that category.
A former RCB analyst, Prasanna, hinted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account that a former RR player currently in CSK might have to make the move. Both Jadeja and Dube have previously represented the Royals, while Rahul Tripathi, though another former RR player, doesn’t fit into the trade due to his price and recent form.
In the current setup, the Rajasthan Royals desperately need a quality spin-bowling all-rounder since Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana failed, and Jadeja can do the job. A few reports before have signalled RR’s interest in Jadeja, who is a proven performer and doesn’t take an overseas slot either.
If Sanju Samson goes out, RR will need a batter in the middle, so Dube, especially after his improved bowling performances, can be the spin-hitter and do what they expected from Nitish Rana. However, Lhuan-dre Pretorius has already shown his high ceiling and can take the No.3 slot from the next season, so Jadeja will fit better in the XI and solve numerous issues for the Rajasthan Royals.
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