In what could be one of the biggest trades in Indian Premier League (IPL) history, Rajasthan Royals (RR) are reportedly set to trade Sanju Samson to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. Both teams have spoken to the players involved, but no official confirmation has been made by either franchise yet. With the trade rumors and news swirling heavily, the real question is: Are CSK really trading Ravindra Jadeja to Rajasthan Royals along with Sam Curran for Sanju Samson, and if so, why?
Before the deal becomes official, both teams must submit an expression of interest to the IPL Governing Council. Once the players give their written consent, the franchises can finalize terms. The Governing Council will then review and ratify the trade so it's a still a long way to go for both the teams to finalise the deal.
Will This Trade Benefit CSK?
CSK already has a lot of options in the top order with Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, Ayush Mhatre, and Urvil Patel. Therefore, they do not really need a top-order wicket-keeper batter. If CSK truly wants to pursue Sanju Samson to groom him as the new face of the franchise after M.S. Dhoni, then it would be a betrayal to Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has done wonders for the franchise over the past five seasons.
Ravindra Jadeja has been part of CSK's historic run over the past decade and is still in his prime with both bat and ball, which he has shown in recent times. Consequently, this trade really makes no sense and doesn't benefit CSK in any way.
How the Royals Can Benefit from this Trade?
The real benefit here is for the Rajasthan Royals (RR), who reportedly desperately want to get off the huge contract that Samson holds. They could gain two quality all-rounders in the middle order who are more than capable of solving their finishing problem and also allow them to push Shimron Hetmyer higher up the order to free him of the pressure.
With Samson reportedly disappointed with the background politics within the franchise, it is clear he wants to play for a team other than the Royals and mark a new legacy. His preferred destination is CSK. If the deal doesn't go through, Samson is likely to go into the auction, and franchises are willing to pay him a hefty amount, especially teams like KKR, who are looking for a new captain on a long run.
Will Sam Curran be a part of CSK's Trade?
English all-rounder Sam Curran, who rejoined CSK in 2025 for ₹2.4 crore, is also part of the potential three-way trade. Curran, back in the England setup, has had a great time in T20s over the past six months and is a valuable asset that any franchise would like to have. The Royals also lack a quality foreign fast-bowling all-rounder, and Curran adds huge value in that category. He can bat anywhere from number 3 to number 7 in the batting order and offers quality death bowling.
Sanju Samson 's Journey with RR
Sanju Samson has been face of Rajasthan Royals for over a decade . Having joined RR in 2013 he become caption in 2021 and led the team to the final in 2022 . He has scored 4027 runs for the Royals , including 25 fifty plus scores and the joint highest score of 124 . However after IPL 2025 Samson reportedly asked for a change of environment leading RR to open trade discussions .
Is it the end of Jadeja in Yellow?
Ravindra Jadeja has been a pillar of CSK 's success since 2012 , contributing to three IPL titles . He was retained for 18 crore ahead of the 2025 mega auction Jadeja's memorable moment came in the 2023 final when he hit the winning runs against Gujarat Titans . With 143 wickets and 16 Player of the match awards he is CSK 's top wicket taker and one of the franchise 's greatest all rounders.
