Before the IPL 2026, Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are said to be planning a big player trade which involves the star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson.
As per a report from News18, Jadeja has asked to be made captain of RR as part of the deal. If the trade happens, Jadeja will join the Royals, while Sanju Samson, who is their current captain, will move to CSK. It has been reported that CSK is now planning to announce Samson as their next captain, in that case, Ruturaj Gaikwad would play only as a batter.
RR has young players like Riyan Parag, who led the team for a few matches last season, but the management wants an experienced player like Jadeja to take charge and guide the team.
At CSK, things are a little different. Sanju Samson is seen as a future captain once MS Dhoni retires, but for now, CSK plans to continue with Ruturaj Gaikwad as captain, even though he missed part of the last season due to injury.
The trade may also include Sam Curran moving from CSK to RR. Reports say the deal is almost done and could be officially announced soon unless something changes at the last moment
For Jadeja, this move would be special, as he started his IPL career with RR in the first two seasons before joining CSK in 2012. He became one of CSK’s most important players and helped them win titles in 2018, 2021, and 2023
In his IPL career, Jadeja has scored 2,198 runs and taken 143 wickets in 186 matches. He also captained CSK for a short time in 2022, but the team lost six of their first eight matches, and he stepped down from captaincy.
If this trade goes through, it will be one of the biggest and most surprising moves in IPL history, bringing major changes to both teams
