IPL Trade Rumours: Pundit suggests CSK sign Sanju Samson as MS Dhoni replacement by releasing R Ashwin | Cricket News

Sanju Samson, the captain of Rajasthan Royals, has formally expressed his desire to leave the franchise after the mixed 2025 IPL season, potentially ending his near-decade-long association with the team. Reports indicate he has informed the Jaipur-based franchise about his decision to explore other opportunities ahead of the mega auction. Former India opener Aakash Chopra suggests that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) could be the most suitable destination for Samson. “The first name that comes to my mind is not CSK. KKR should be the most desperate team,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel. “KKR don’t have an Indian wicketkeeper-batter, and that just ties their hands behind their back. Secondly, what’s wrong if you get a captain? I am not denying that Ajinkya Rahane has captained well and has scored runs as well.” Chopra highlighted concerns about Rahane’s batting limitations and age as factors for KKR to consider Samson, despite the team’s success under Shreyas Iyer in 2024. “Ajinkya Rahane as a batter – either he opens or else the batting order has been a bit of a problem,” Chopra added. “They have a player they can release as well. If they wish, they can release Venkatesh Iyer, free up nearly Rs 24 crore, and then they can actually make a difference.” At the same time, Chopra admitted that CSK would also be keen on bringing in Samson as a long-term successor to MS Dhoni. “They could look at a possible trade, maybe send R Ashwin back to Rajasthan, who need a spinner. He’s played there before and could fill a gap. So that’s not out of the question either,” he said. Samson, now 30, started his IPL career with KKR in 2012 before joining Rajasthan Royals, where he eventually became captain. Recent changes in Rajasthan Royals’ squad strategy, including the release of Jos Buttler and focus on young domestic talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi, may have influenced Samson’s decision to seek opportunities elsewhere.

“Why would Sanju Samson want to leave? It’s interesting because when the last mega auction happened, they let Jos Buttler go, and I felt they let Jos Buttler go because Yashasvi had come and Sanju wanted to open, and Sanju and Rajasthan Royals were really, really thick,” Chopra noted. “I felt there would have been a massive input from Sanju in the players they retained or released. However, now it seems it might not have been there. Vaibhav Suryavanshi has come, so two openers are already ready, and you also want to bat Dhruv Jurel up the order. So Sanju wishes to leave. If he is thinking like that, it’s possible. These are conjectures. I don’t know what’s in his and Rajasthan’s minds.” The team’s shift towards promoting young domestic stars and changes in batting order strategies appear to have created uncertainty about Samson’s role within the franchise.