Why Sanju Samson left RR? Owner drops massive "He was personally and emotionally drained" statement after 'biggest trade'

Sanju Samson has joined Chennai Super Kings ahead of IPL 2026.

Rajasthan Royals (RR) owner Manoj Badale opened up on the decision to trade Sanju Samson after his long association with the franchise. He revealed that the keeper-batter was mentally and emotionally drained and himself expressed his desire to part ways with the franchise during a team meeting in Kolkata during IPL 2025.

In one of the biggest trade deals ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction, Sanju Samson joined Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. While Samson has been retained for his salary cap of Rs. 18 crores, Jadeja has been offered a revised amount of Rs. 14 crores, four less than his earlier salary cap of of Rs. 18 crore.

Samson’s ouster from RR arrived following the team’s poor show in IPL 2025, where they finished at the ninth spot in the points table with eight points. The RR captain also struggled with his form after missing several games due to an injury, managing just one half-century across his nine games.

Sanju Samson was personally and emotionally drained: RR owner Manoj Badale

While speaking in an RR’s YouTube video, team owner Badale revealed that Samson first expressed his wish to leave the team during last season in a meeting. He also added that he was emotionally drained following the team’s dismal performance in the season.

“The first time this year or in the past year that Sanju talked about moving on was probably in Kolkata towards the end of the season. We had a meeting after the game. He’s a very honest guy. He was personally and emotionally drained. He cares a huge about about RR, and I think having our worst season in 18 years took a lot out of him. Having given the best part of 14 years, with a short break, to RR, he felt he needed a new chapter to refresh the end of his IPL journey,” he said.

The RR owner also heaped praise on Samson, calling him an authentic and extraordinary player who toiled hard for the franchise for 14 years.

“When Sanju made the request, it felt different for us because he’s a very authentic man; if he says something, he generally means it. He has been an extraordinary servant of the franchise for 14 years. It’s not just the batting or the sixes the fans see -it’s everything else he has put in,” he said.

“When we made the decision to make him captain, that was a high-risk move. He was a young and inexperienced captain, but he put everything into that role. There has been a lot of emotion from our fans and from the team that has grown up under Sanju. I feel emotional about it myself,” Badale further said.

Meanwhile, RR will need a new face to captain the side after Samson’s ouster. Ahead of IPL 2026 auction, they have retained 13 players in their squad and traded in three players. With an available salary purse of Rs. 16.05 crores, the Royals can induct nine more players during mini-action.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.