Star wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson stormed into the history books of Indian Premier League (IPL) following his blockbuster trade move from Rajasthan Royals (RR) to Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
Sanju Samson's historic trade deal with CSK
This landmark deal brought an end to his 12-year association with RR in what stands as the biggest player swap deal in the league's history, with Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran joining the 2008 champions in return. Samson first joined the Royals in 2013 and has remained with the franchise ever since, with the exception of the 2016 and 2017 seasons when the team was suspended. The 31-year-old had been leading the Royals since 2021, and his surprising decision to seek a move sent shockwaves throughout the cricket community.
Following his transfer to CSK, Samson will maintain his substantial salary of ₹18 crore, the same amount he was retained for by the Royals ahead of the mega auction. However, Ravindra Jadeja's move to the Royals involved a pay cut; he will now earn Rs 14 crore, down from the Rs 18 crore he was paid by CSK in the 2025 season.
Sanju Samson becomes the most expensive traded player in the IPL's history
This record-breaking transfer means Sanju Samson has surpassed Cameron Green's IPL record to become the most expensive traded player in the league's history. Green was previously traded from the Mumbai Indians to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at a salary of Rs 17.5 crore. Samson is the first player transfer to be executed at a salary of ₹18 crore. Hardik Pandya is third on this list, having been traded to the Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2024 from the Gujarat Titans (GT).
Remarkably, Sanju Samson is only the second player in Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) history to be acquired via a trade move. The only previous instance involved another wicketkeeper-batter from the Rajasthan Royals (RR): Robin Uthappa, who was traded in 2021. Uthappa's trade was completed at his existing salary of ₹3 crore, a figure significantly lower than Samson's. Consequently, Samson's acquisition officially makes him the most expensive trade deal ever executed by the five-time champions, CSK.
Meanwhile, Cameron Green was not part of the 2025 IPL Mega Auction due to an injury, but he is now expected to feature prominently in the 2026 mini-auction scheduled for December 16. Despite having lost the record for the most expensive trade to Samson, Green remains the clear favourite to become the most expensive player purchased at the auction this time around. While the current record belongs to Rishabh Pant at Rs 27 crore, Green could potentially surpass that amount. However, based on the IPL's new rules, even if Green is sold for a higher bid, his official earnings will not be permitted to exceed the amount paid to Pant.