The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) franchise showing interest in the Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper Sanju Samson seems to be a genuine cause for alarm and is not just limited to the speculation on social media.

Over the past few weeks, it was deemed to be rumored that the five-time champions are considering appointing Samson to replace Dhoni for the wicketkeeping and batting roles in the next season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. 

Also, CSK’s one of the senior officials conveyed to Cricbuzz about the franchise’s plans and desire to acquire Samson, although there isn’t any official communication made with the RR management.

As the trading window is open for CSK, all the franchise needs to do is find a high-profile player who can be swapped to RR in the process of acquiring Samson.

‘We are Interested in Samson’: CSK Official Reveals Big Update

Recently, a senior CSK official confirmed to Cricbuzz that the franchise is keen to acquire Sanju Samson and hasn’t discussed anything about this matter with RR so far:

“Yes! We are interested in acquiring Sanju Samson. It’s not just that he is an Indian player; rather, he can play the dual role of an opening batter and keep wickets. Based on his availability, we will invite him into our squad. Currently, we haven’t spoken about the trade process, but we are keen to have this particular player in our team,” the CSK official said.

Best Replacement for Sanju Samson to Lead Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026

Any Indian wicketkeeper batter who can adapt according to the batting positions from the No.1 to No.6 spot is a valuable talent for any team. Also, the leadership skills behind the stumps are an added advantage. In such scenarios, Royals management is aware of the fact that after Sanju Samson, it is Dhruv Jurel who fulfills all criteria.

Jurel’s ability to bat at any spot, guide players with his composed demeanor under pressure, and perform wicketkeeping duties make him the next eligible skipper for RR, only if Samson parts ways with the franchise.

Recently, the Royals’ management attended a review meeting of the recently concluded IPL’s 18th season in London. Also, the RR’s head coach Rahul Dravid ensured his presence during the event.

According to the reports, the team officials noted down the requests of other franchises to acquire several players of RR, which includes Sanju Samson as well.

Sanju Samson to be Swapped With Ruturaj Gaikwad: A Possible Trade

As the Royals have retained Sanju Samson for INR 18 crore, there could be another possible trade-off where the CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s retention price stands the same.

Gaikwad, for the past one and a half years, faced huge challenges in the leadership role, and he was ruled out of the remainder of IPL 2025 due to injury. While there are speculations that Ruturaj might be traded, the CSK head coach Stephen Fleming has on several occasions publicly explained that the young right-handed batter was appointed as a skipper keeping in mind the team’s long-term benefits.

Has CSK Ever Been Involved in a Player Trade?

There are very less instances in the history of IPL where CSK has been involved in a trade. Back in 2021, the Rajasthan Royals traded Robin Uthappa to Chennai Super Kings in a one-way cash deal ahead of the league’s 14th season.

Guidelines for Player Trading Window Ahead of IPL 2026

The regulations have been made stricter, such that:

• All teams must abide by the guidelines when discussing player trades, league fee alterations, and player fitness evaluations.
  
• Most importantly, every trade must be approved by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
  
• During the trading window, the franchise is not restricted on the number of players to be traded, but must follow the salary cap requirements and contract rules set by the league.
  
• The teams involved in a trade (a deal between the buying and selling franchise) should negotiate about the league fees that need to be paid.
  
• Only once can a player be traded for a particular season, and to trade an overseas player, the buying franchise should obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the relevant cricket board.
  
• Before the commencement of the IPL 2026 season, trading can be possible in the following ways:
  
  
  • 1st Option: The trade will start 7 days after the completion of IPL 2025 from 09 am IST onwards and will conclude 7 days before the IPL 2026 player auction before 05 pm IST.
    
  • 2nd Option: The trade will commence the next day after the IPL 2026 player auction from 09 am IST and will continue until 05 pm IST on the exact date, which is 30 days closer to the start of the next season.

Final Opinion

As the discussions continue to increase every day, certainly, CSK wouldn’t complete the trade deal soon. This is because the RR owner, Manoj Badale is yet to make a final decision on whether to release Sanju Samson or not.

It’s not only the Super Kings, but also the other two franchises that have shown interest in acquiring Samson. Moreover, if more than one team is interested in acquiring a particular player, then the selling team will make the final decision, only if the player agrees to the trade.

Apart from RR’s suspension in 2016 and 2017, Sanju Samson has been the regular player of the team since 2013. Overall, it remains to be seen if the franchise opts to retain the 30-year-old or take a huge risk by trading the team’s long-term player ahead of next season.