Sanju Samson Opens Up On Rajasthan Royals’ Decision To Move Ahead
Sanju Samson, an Indian batsman and wicketkeeper, has revealed highly personal reasons for his surprise departure from the Rajasthan Royals, where he had spent over 11 seasons.
The Kerala cricketer’s transfer to the Chennai Super Kings prior to the 2026 Indian Premier League forced him to confront difficult emotions, but it also provided him with the opportunity to fulfil a lifetime dream. Samson highlighted the mental process that led to one of the franchise’s largest departures.
Sanju Samson grappled with the decision to leave. Since 2013, he has been with Rajasthan for 13 years, heading the squad for five consecutive seasons beginning in 2021.
During his tenure, he took the team to its first championship game since 2008. Samson has scored over 4500 runs with multiple teams in the IPL. However, commitment to a single squad has its limits, even if it feels like your own.
“That’s when I considered leaving,” Sanju Samson stated on JioStar’s Superstars.
After the 2025 season, Sanju Samson recognised that the lads had matured and he no longer required to lead the squad. “Leaving RR was a significant decision for me.”
I believe that after a while of playing for a team, you begin to feel as if it is your team and no one can take you away. However, I was always mindful that there is only so much time for everyone to be together in one spot.
You do your part, and then you leave, and after the IPL 2025 ended, I thought it was time for me to move on. I convinced myself that the boys were ready, that RR was prepared to play without Sanju Samson.
Why did the Chennai Super Kings seem like a good location?
After several teams expressed interest, CSK became his apparent choice. Sanju Samson saw something deeper in the yellow shirt than the team itself.
The chance felt like serendipity because of the availability of mentors, particularly Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and previous relationships with players such as Ruturaj Gaikwad. His conviction was strengthened by conversations with other players who had experienced the CSK culture.
“There were two or three choices at the time. But, honestly, CSK, Mahi bhai’s influence, the franchise itself, and my buddies there, particularly Ruturaj, meant I had excellent contacts.
Based on what I’d heard about CSK from other players, I felt this was the franchise for me. If I go there, it will be very beneficial to me. I had hoped for that, but a trade is a complicated affair.
I would like to go there, but do they want me? And the original team must receive what they desire in exchange. Everyone needs to agree. It was a significant turning point. Fortunately, I landed up at CSK. “It was an amazing feeling,” Sanju Samson remarked.
The childhood hero who fulfilled all cricket-related desires
For the young Sanju Samson, Dhoni was more than just a television captain. His boldness, aggressive intent, and on-field demeanour all left an indelible impact.
Sanju Samson hoped that one day he’d be able to share the crease with his idol by collecting magazine cuttings of him and keeping them in his journal. CSK’s offer brings his teenage dream closer to reality.
He was drawn to the player’s aggressive batting style and confident demeanour. He used to appear in advertisements, and I would take out his photo and save it in my diary. Every child has an idol, and Mahi Bhai was mine.
As a child, I would watch India play every day. Mahi bhai would captain and win matches. I would go to bed thinking, ‘I have to play one day, too.’ Sanju Samson recalled, “I used to dream of batting with him, forming a partnership, and fielding alongside him.”
With Sanju Samson’s departure to CSK, an era in Rajasthan comes to an end, and what could be his most successful IPL chapter begins. In order to get him, the team traded Sam Curran and Ravindra Jadeja, resulting in a significant roster shift.
