Rajasthan Royals captain and star batter Sanju Samson, who has been leading the franchise since 2021, has formally requested to be released or traded ahead of the IPL 2026 season.
The Kerala cricketer, retained for a massive ₹18 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, has been the backbone of RR both as a leader and a player. With over 4,000 runs in 149 appearances, he holds the record for being the Royals’ most-capped player and highest run-scorer.
Sanju Samson Seeks Exit from Rajasthan Royals Before IPL 2026
However, a poor IPL 2025 campaign — where RR finished ninth and Samson missed multiple matches due to a hand injury — appears to have taken a toll on the relationship between player and franchise.
𝑨 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝑺𝒂𝒎𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒅, “𝑺𝒂𝒏𝒋𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒐𝒚𝒂𝒍𝒔, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒇𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅.”
Rift With Management and Batting Order Dispute
According to a Cricbuzz report, serious differences have emerged between Samson and the Rajasthan Royals management. Family members and close associates have confirmed that the 30-year-old no longer wishes to continue with the franchise.
One major factor behind the fallout was his demotion to the No. 3 batting position last season — a move made after young opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi impressed alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Sanju Samson, who aims to cement his place as an opener in India’s T20I setup, is reportedly unhappy with this change in role.
Trade Talks and Interest from CSK
Speculation also arose about a possible difference of opinion between Sanju Samson and head coach Rahul Dravid after an incident during a match against Delhi Capitals in April 2025, where Samson appeared disengaged on the field. Dravid later dismissed the rumours as “baseless”, saying he shared a “very good rapport” with the RR skipper.
Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Royals have reportedly contacted multiple franchises to explore trade possibilities. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have shown interest in acquiring Samson, but face budget constraints. To sign him, CSK would need to release high-value players or offload several squad members to free up funds for the ₹18 crore purchase.
However, Samson’s contract with RR runs until the end of IPL 2027, meaning any move would require official approval from the franchise.
Also Read: Shubman Gill Named North Zone Captain for Duleep Trophy 2025