In one of the biggest trade deals in IPL history, Rajasthan Royals have traded captain Sanju Samson to Chennai Super Kings, while star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja returns to his first IPL franchise.
The BCCI cleared the move after resolving brief technical issues, with Sam Curran also included to complete a rare three-player trade.Finalised just hours before the retention deadline, what began as a straight Samson–Jadeja swap expanded after RR pushed for Curran. Both Samson and Jadeja carried the same retention value of ₹18 crore, but Rajasthan opted to add Curran at his existing ₹2.4 crore fee.
Samson will join CSK at ₹18 crore, while Jadeja’s fee has been revised to ₹14 crore under the agreement.Samson’s exit follows months of internal differences.
The release of key players like Jos Buttler, Yuzvendra Chahal and R Ashwin signalled a rebuild he reportedly did not support. Disagreements over his batting position added friction, especially after Jaiswal–Suryavanshi solidified their opening combination, pushing Samson back to No. 3.CSK, who have pursued Samson for nearly three years, see him as a long-term wicketkeeper-batter and a future leader, especially with MS Dhoni nearing retirement.
Jadeja, who began his IPL journey with RR before becoming a CSK legend with 185 games, 2,000 runs and 140+ wickets, returns to Jaipur without a captaincy guarantee but is expected to play a key senior role. With Chepauk becoming less spin-friendly and Jadeja’s future role uncertain, both he and Dhoni agreed the move was in the best interest of the franchise.