The Growing Interest in Sanju Samson Takes Off

Over the past several weeks, we heard a lot of talk linking Sanju Samson as a potential target for the Chennai Super Kings. Initially, most thought this was just good old social media buzz, but we’ve heard people at CSK discussing their willingness to bring the batter-keeper to their franchise. An unnamed CSK senior official said that they haven’t made any formal inquiry but are looking into it. 

However, they’re not the only ones with an interest in Samson, and there’s a million-dollar question about who they will offer in return. Samson is the most valued player of the Rajasthan Royals and their top asset, with a value of ₹18 crore. One of the combinations includes trading Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has the same value, but CSK’s coach, Stephen Fleming, said multiple times that he was appointed captain for a reason. 

If not, the CSK would have to come up with a fantastic bonus package to get the Royals’ attention. CSK hasn’t invoked trades that often in their long IPL history, and probably one of the most notable ones was the acquisition of Robin Uthappa from the Royals in 2021. Still, this was an all-cash trade under different circumstances. 

The trade window is open, and we’ll just have to wait and see whether CSK will make a formal offer, as there are rumors about other teams inquiring about Samson. The Royals’ management concluded their season review meeting last week, during which multiple trade requests were discussed for several players. The team currently has two Indian keeper-batters who are premium assets, which may open up new opportunities. 

However, the chances of CSK finding a deal are slim, but not impossible. Although there’s no official information about other teams interested in Samson, names like Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians, and Kolkata Knight Riders are likely destinations. All of them have compelling cases for trade combinations and the roles Samson can fill, but we will just have to wait and see until the transfer window closes.