“Emotionally drained…”- RR owner explains reason to trade Sanju Samson ahead of IPL 2026
The owner of the Rajasthan Royals (RR), Manoj Badale, has explained the reasons to trade their wicket-keeper opening batter and captain, Sanju Samson, ahead of the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League.
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Sanju Samson’s long association with the Rajasthan Royals has ended as the inaugural champions of the Indian Premier League (IPL) traded their captain and opening batter from the previous season to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), which marks one of the high-profile trades in history. The Royals got back their former player, Ravindra Jadeja, back in the squad along with Sam Curran.
Samson moved to the CSK side for a contract worth INR 18 crore, while Ravindra Jadeja joined the Royals for INR 14 crore, and Curran made the shift for INR 2.4 crore. Post the announcement of the retentions, the RR owner, Manoj Badale, opened up on how the situation unfolded as Samson eventually decided to part ways.
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“The first time Sanju mentioned the possibility of moving on was towards the end of the season in Kolkata. We chatted after a match, and he was emotionally worn out. This was our toughest season in 18 years, and it affected him deeply because he truly cares about RR.” Badale expressed in an interaction.
Rajasthan Royals’ owner reveals reasons to trade Sanju Samson ahead of IPL 2026
Samson is the highest run-getter of the IPL for the Royals. The right-handed wicket-keeper batter has smashed 4027 runs in 144 innings at an average of around 32 and a strike rate of 141.24 with the help of 23 half-centuries and two centuries at the best score of 119 runs.
“He is someone who speaks genuinely, and when he made the request, it carried a different weight. He’s contributed far more than what the fans see on the field — not just the runs or the big hits — but everything he has invested in the team.” Badale addressed this in the same video.
“Despite what has been said, there hasn’t been any sense of chaos within the team. Internally, we have been sticking to a set process and timeline. Yes, we’re a week or two behind schedule, but everything is stable.” The Rajasthan Royals owner added. They would now need to find their new captain for the next season.
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