There has been a lot of buzz around Sanju Samson moving to a different team in the IPL. And now there is a big development: Samson has reportedly asked RR to trade him or release him before the 2026 season.
Samson had a tough 2025 season with RR. The team finished 9th and Samson himself didn’t do well. He had a finger injury before the season and played only 9 games. He scored 285 runs with just one 50 and a highest score of 66. Compared to his previous seasons with RR, 2025 was a disappointing one for Samson and he will want to do better next year.
With Vaibhav Suryavanshi emerging as a young batter, Samson was moved to no. 3 in the second half of 2025 IPL. But he might want to open again to stay in contention for the national team.
On the other hand CSK is likely to release Devon Conway and they need a good top order batter. Samson’s aggressive style and adaptability makes him a good fit for that role.
🚨 ASHWIN REQUESTS RELEASE FROM CSK 🚨
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) August 8, 2025
Exclusive: Sources confirm that Ashwin has requested CSK to release him ahead of IPL 2026. 🟡 pic.twitter.com/YQM8UYdeTP
CSK also needs a reliable wicketkeeper as MS Dhoni is showing signs of slowing down in the last couple of seasons. Although Ruturaj Gaikwad took over the captaincy, his leadership hasn’t quite lived up to expectations. Sanju Samson who has led RR with composure and maturity could be a strong long term option, filling both the leadership and wicketkeeping roles that Dhoni did for years.
Read Also:- RR Demand Two CSK Players in Exchange for Sanju Samson
For RR they have struggled with lack of consistent Indian spin options. Overseas spinners like Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga have been inconsistent, while Ashwin brings both quality spin and experience having played for the franchise before.
Why is Ashwin not a good deal for CSK?
CSK paid Rs. 9.75 Cr to get back the Indian off-spinner. But Ravi Ashwin’s comeback didn’t work out as planned. He played 9 games and took 7 wickets. Ravi Ashwin’s economy rate was around 9.13 in the season and his average was over 40 with the ball. They tried to use him in different ways but he couldn’t deliver.
