The speculations are rife that Sanju Samson might end up linking up with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Reportedly, CSK are heading towards a big trade with Rajasthan Royals (RR) in preparation for the next IPL season. As per a former analyst for RCB and South Africa Prasanna Aghoram, the five-time IPL champions are considering a deal that would see them send Ravichandran Ashwin and Shivam Dube to Rajasthan in exchange for the services of Sanju Samson for the upcoming edition of the tournament.
CSK eyes big trade with RR for Sanju Samson
Sanju Samson was last seen leading the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025, a season that concluded on June 3 with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) securing their maiden title. Following the IPL, the Kerala-born batsman traveled to the United States, where he was observed attending an MLC 2025 match.
Prasanna Aghoram indicated that CSK have initiated discussions aimed at trading an Indian off-spinner and a left-handed middle-order batsman in return for a top-order batter. His comments have garnered attention, particularly due to his close association with Ravichandran Ashwin, as he frequently appears on the spinner's YouTube channel, suggesting a level of insight into such matters.
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Prasanna Aghoram's speculation suggests a potential exchange where Chennai Super Kings (CSK) would trade Ravichandran Ashwin and Shivam Dube to Rajasthan Royals (RR) in exchange for Sanju Samson. The financial implications of this trade indicate that RR would receive players with a combined value of ₹21.75 crore, while Samson's value is estimated at Rs 18 crore. Consequently, RR would likely be required to pay the remaining ₹3.75 crore to CSK to complete the transaction. Despite performing reasonably well for Rajasthan Royals both as a batsman and a captain, Sanju Samson might be open to a move. A potential switch to CSK could offer him the captaincy role, especially considering Ruturaj Gaikwad's challenges in that position over the past season and a half.
Analyzing the performance of the players involved, Ashwin rejoined CSK in 2025 after a decade away but had a limited impact, securing only 7 wickets in 9 matches. On the other hand, Dube had a commendable season for CSK, scoring 357 runs in 14 games with an average of 32.45 and a strike rate of 132.22.
Sanju Samson himself faced a challenging IPL 2025 season. He sustained a finger injury earlier in the year during a T20I series against England, which initially limited him to playing as an impact substitute for the first three matches. Later in the season, a side strain forced him to miss five consecutive games. In the nine matches he played, Samson scored 285 runs at an average of 35.62 and a strike rate of 140.39, including only one half-century. His inconsistent form and limited appearances coincided with a poor season for the Royals, who finished ninth in the points table with only eight points from 14 games.