Sanju Samson joins CSK, Ravindra Jadeja returns to RR in one of IPL's biggest trade deals

In one of the most historic moments in IPL, the Rajasthan Royals have traded their captain, Sanju Samson, to the Chennai Super Kings. At the same time, star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja makes a return to the Rajasthan-based franchise. The deal, cleared by the BCCI after brief technical issues, also includes Sam Curran, turning it into a rare three-player trade.

With the retention deadline only hours away, RR and CSK finalised a deal that had been in discussion for weeks. What started as a straight swap between Samson and Jadeja became a bigger negotiation after Rajasthan insisted on adding Sam Curran. Both Samson and Jadeja had the same retention value of INR 18 crore, but Rajasthan chose to secure Curran, valued at INR 2.4 crore. Notably, Samson will represent CSK at his existing league fee of INR 18 crore. As far as the English all-rounder, Curran, is concerned, he has been traded at his existing league fee of INR 2.4 crore.

Notably, Samson’s exit from Rajasthan Royals was not sudden. Over the last two seasons, Samson grew increasingly disconnected from the franchise’s decisions. The release of Jos Buttler, followed by senior players Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin, convinced Samson that RR were looking to rebuild, which he did not fully support.

According to reports, there were also internal disagreements about his batting position. Samson wanted to open the innings, but RR were committed to backing young opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi. By the time Samson returned from injury in IPL 2025, the new pairing of Jaiswal and Suryavanshi worked too well for management to break it. This left Samson at No. 3, a role he did not favour long-term.

Jadeja not confirmed RR's captaincy

Meanwhile, CSK had reportedly been pursuing the Kerala-born for three years. With MS Dhoni nearing the end of his playing career, they were in search of a long-term Indian wicketkeeper-batter who could lead the batting and potentially the team in the future.

On the other hand, Jadeja had earlier played his first two IPL seasons with RR before being suspended in 2010. At CSK, he became a franchise icon, playing 185 matches, scoring 2000 runs, and taking 140+ wickets, including his unforgettable finishing act in the 2023 final. Meanwhile, for Jadeja, as part of the trade agreement, his league fee has been revised from INR 18 crore to INR 14 crore.

However, with CSK looking to revamp their squad, the presence of Noor Ahmad, and Chepauk becoming less spin-friendly, the franchise felt Jadeja’s role could be reduced in future seasons. Jadeja and Dhoni reportedly discussed the move beforehand and agreed it was best for both sides. Furthermore, RR has not guaranteed captaincy to Jadeja, but he is expected to be a senior figure in the setup.