IPL 2026: Did RR make a mistake by trading Sanju Samson to CSK?

RR traded Sanju Samson to CSK for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran ahead of the IPL 2026 season.

Sanju Samson’s performance in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 was one of the major reasons behind India’s spectacular triumph on Sunday, March 8. Despite playing only five out of the nine possible games in the tournament, the 31-year-old was India’s highest scorer.

Sanju Samson scored 321 runs in five innings while maintaining an average of 80.25 and a strike rate of nearly 200. He scored three consecutive 80+ scores in important matches against the West Indies (Super 8), England (semi-final) and New Zealand (final). The Kerala wicketkeeper-batter was also honoured as the Player of the Tournament for his crucial performances for the Men in Blue.

After a series of inconsistent performances during the 2025 season and being left out of the XI, the 31-year-old has finally solidified himself as a limited-overs batting star. While it seems like fans will get to see him as a regular part of the T20 men’s Indian team, his current situation in the Indian Premier League (IPL) is a little complex.

Last year, the Rajasthan Royals (RR) traded Sanju Samson to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. After the trade was completed, multiple opinions emerged regarding Samson’s performance in the 2025 edition and his captaincy. Last season, he missed five IPL matches due to fitness concerns as RR finished ninth in the league table.

Did RR make a mistake by trading Sanju Samson to CSK?

The trade was originally seen as a calculated move by the Rajasthan Royals franchise, as they sought experienced all-rounders, which they found in Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. However, considering Sanju Samson’s current form with less than 20 days remaining in the upcoming edition of the IPL, the trade might seem like a mistake for the Royals.

Samson started his IPL journey with the Rajasthan Royals in 2013. However, after three years, he joined the Delhi Capitals for two seasons, 2016 and 2017. He returned to the inaugural champions in 2018 and was been part of the Royals ever since, through 2025, before finally changing allegiances.

The 31-year-old has also scored the most runs for the Royals in the tournament’s history, accumulating 4219 runs in 150 innings with an average of 31.96, racking up two centuries and 26 fifties.

Unarguably, Samson is currently one of the best batters in the world, primarily playing as an opener but also capable of batting at the third spot. However, IPL is a significantly longer tournament, in which a player has to team up with younger players and overseas players.

Thus, if Samson continues to perform similarly, the Royals might regret trading him to some extent, but the trade is unlikely to emerge as a mistake on the inaugural champions’ part.

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