Sanju Samson, the current Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain in the Indian Premier League (IPL), has been making headlines recently, with reports of a potential trade to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and his signing with a new franchise in the Kerala Premier League (KPL).

Samson has been signed by the Kochi Blue Tigers for ₹26.80 lakh for the second edition of the KPL. This acquisition makes him the most expensive player in the league's history. A team in the KPL is allowed to spend ₹50 lakh, and Kochi Blue Tigers spent over half of their budget on Samson. Sanju Samson participated in an auction for the first time, having skipped the inaugural KPL season. The KPL will take place from August 21 to September 6.

The Kochi Blue Tigers and Thrissur Titans entered the auction with the maximum purse, as they did not retain any players from the first season. Besides Samson, other significant acquisitions in the KPL auction included Vishnu Vinod by Aries Kollam for ₹13.8 lakh and Jalaj Saxena by Alleppey Ripples for ₹12.4 lakh.

Amidst this development, rumors have been circulating regarding Samson's IPL future, with Chennai Super Kings reportedly interested in trading for him. A CSK official stated that they are looking at Samson, an Indian batsman, keeper, and opener. If he becomes available, they would consider having him on their team. The move would involve a trade, either before or after the IPL 2026 mini-auction.

Several reports suggest that Rajasthan Royals may be open to a trade with CSK for Sanju Samson. According to these reports, RR might ask for veteran players like Ravindra Jadeja or Ravichandran Ashwin in exchange for Samson. Aakash Chopra noted that Samson could be a potential successor to MS Dhoni as a wicketkeeper-batter for CSK.

Sanju Samson's IPL 2025 season was hampered by injuries, causing him to miss five matches. At least six RR players have attracted trade-off interest from various franchises. Samson has been a key player for Rajasthan Royals since 2018 and has captained the team since 2021.

While neither Samson nor the franchises have confirmed the trade rumors, an anonymous CSK official has expressed interest in the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter. The speculation has sparked discussions about the potential implications for both franchises. Some suggest that CSK might trade their skipper, Ruturaj Gaikwad, for Samson. Samson's international exposure, including three T20I centuries in 2024, positions him as a ready-made solution for CSK, while Gaikwad offers a longer leadership tenure.