sanju samson Represented Rajasthan Royals for 11 seasons before moving to Chennai Super Kings ahead of IPL 2026. Samson was brought to CSK in exchange for all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran in the trade between the two franchises, which is one of the most high-profile player trades in IPL history. Samson joined CSK for Rs 18 crore, while Jadeja's fee was revised to Rs 14 crore and Curran's fee remained at Rs 2.4 crore.
During his time with Rajasthan Royals, Samson led the franchise in five IPL seasons from 2021 to 2025. Under his leadership, Rajasthan Royals reached the final in the 2022 season. Samson scored more than 4500 runs in his entire IPL career. Samson opened up about his decision to leave the franchise that was his home for over a decade.
“Leaving Rajasthan Royals was a huge risk. Once you convey your feelings to the franchise, you can't go back. You could go to a team you don't want to go to or even go to the auction with no certainty. There were two reasons behind this decision. First, I was sure that 2025 would be my last season with RR. I had a long conversation with my family and my wife. They kept asking me if this was a Was it an impulsive decision or was I really sure,” Samson said. JioStar superstar.
“We discussed it for two or three weeks, and then we decided it was the right time. I believed it was the right decision. Second, I am a confident person. I believe I can stand on my own. I am always ready to start from scratch. Many people told me that my batting style would not suit the slow Chepauk wicket. Those thoughts came to my mind. But then I said to myself, 'You are 30 years old. Go out and the way. Find out.' In this IPL season, I went in with a lot of energy, thinking that I have to achieve something. I discovered a new energy there and it was working very well for me.”
CSK adjusting and recovering from early setbacks
Samson's early CSK experience included three consecutive defeats and personal struggles with form. However, he highlighted the unwavering support of the team management and his teammates during that difficult period. The batsman stressed that despite the pressure of joining a new franchise and the expectations attached to it, the support he received from CSK proved invaluable in helping them get off to a challenging start to their IPL 2026 campaign.
“In T20 cricket, failure is common. In this format, you fail more than you succeed. So, when you are going through a bad phase, you need people around you who understand that failure is part of the game. When I joined CSK, I failed in my first three matches. We lost all three, and I did not score runs. I had recently come from playing the World Cup final, but I could not continue that form in the IPL, “Samson said.
“In that situation, no matter how experienced you are, you know the coach expects more, the captain expects more, and Mahi bhai is watching you. So I went to the nets, worked on my game and stayed in my zone. This time I was more mature and I knew what I had to do. But what really stood out was that the reaction of the team management and my teammates did not change even one per cent. When I failed in three consecutive matches, their faith in me was never there.” It meant a lot to me,” he added.
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