The Rajasthan Royals skipper could not notch up even 300 runs in IPL 2025.
The Rajasthan Royals (RR) are making the headlines quite often since the past few weeks. After skipper Sanju Samson voiced that he was keen on moving on from the franchise onto a newer project, the discussions gained momentum. Since then, the franchise has been surrounded by multiple narratives around the Indian Premier League (IPL).
While the focus was on skipper Sanju Samson, Rahul Dravid, who was the head coach of the IPL 2008 champions, decided to move on from the post. The Rajasthan Royals could not make it to the playoffs in the recent edition. However, the decision for Dravid to move on from the franchise he once played for, sparked a lot of debates.
After Chennai Super Kings (CSK) player Ravichandran Ashwin parted ways with his franchise, it was assumed that the two players would make a good trade. But considering the overall factors, the trade between Sanju and Ashwin was never on. However, after all said and done, a new revelation has surfaced about Sanju Samson’s future with his franchise.
After the former India head coach’s exit from his role at the Rajasthan Royals, there were speculations that Samson would stay. These speculations were based on a rift between the two, over different retention choices for the next IPL season. A rift between a captain and head coach is never a pleasant experience for the team, and that might have been the reason for Dravid to part ways with the franchise.
Having said that, the franchise was reported to have contacted other teams for the trade of the RR skipper. This was soon after Samson had expressed his wish to part ways with them. Hence, once cannot rule out the possibility of Samson leaving the franchise despite Dravid doing the same. If that happens, the Rajasthan Royals would have a lot of problems to deal with, ahead of IPL 2026.
Once a franchise starts communicating with other franchises with respect to the transfer of a player, it can be assumed that the retention is well past their minds. And this is what indicates that Samson might still part ways. It is no secret that the RR skipper had a few disagreements with respect to the retentions decided by the management and coaching staff for the previous season. This might have played a role in Samson initiating conversations.
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For a player with the ability of Samson, it will be a stiff competition between franchises. But it will also be important to determine what he wants, in the midst of this chaos. As of now, if he is still keen on calling curtains on his stint with RR, any team which needs a captain and wicketkeeper might be a good option. Teams like the CSK and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be one of the firsts who will jump onto the scene.
For the Super Kings, captaincy isn’t a very big issue. But the wicketkeeping will be a spot they will have to think about. With Ruturaj Gaikwad at the helm, and the top-order oozing with young talent, CSK will have to find a place for the Indian star from Kerala. Samson has scored 26 half-centuries and three tons in the IPL, with a strike-rate of almost 140. Having seen him for more than a decade, franchises would love to have him amongst them.
Other than the five-time winning champions, KKR seems to be a choice that makes heaps of sense. After their campaign last year, they would be looking for a player with leadership in his resume. With regards to taking the gloves, Samson can be the frontrunner over someone like Quinton de Kock. This will free up another foreign slot, benefitting the team. And this is why KKR can be a really good deal for Samson. But it all depends on what he wants, at the end of the day.
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