Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has been one of the most successful franchises in Indian Premier League (IPL) history. Now, they are in the spotlight with a well-thought-out strategy to help them regain their past dominance in IPL 2026. CSK has five IPL titles to its name and a passionate following. In IPL 2026, CSK will be led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, and there will be several changes to the squad and the roles of players. Here is an in-depth analysis of the franchise's bold roster for IPL 2026, probable recruitment of Sanju Samson, Gaikwad confirmed to be captain, MS Dhoni's future role, and agreement by Samson to be vice-captain. 

Sanju Samson Set to Join CSK

Sanju Samson's possible transfer from Rajasthan Royals to CSK is dominating the headlines. Driven by social media cues and insider reports, the deal seems more probable as CSK targets a dynamic middle-order batsman. With more than 4,000 IPL runs, Samson brings experience along with explosiveness.

His 285-run IPL 2025 season, even with injuries, maintained his worth. But RR's poor performance and change in leadership might have paved the way for this exchange. CSK supporters are already dreaming of Samson as the perfect No. 3 or opener, particularly with regional connect and his laid-back nature.

Ruturaj Gaikwad to Lead CSK in IPL 2026

Ruturaj Gaikwad will officially captain CSK in IPL 2026, even though he stepped in as captain in IPL 2024. With the runs he scored in IPL 2024 (583 runs) and a decent domestic record, it was an easy choice. Gaikwad will lead CSK with their complete faith, even though he missed parts of IPL 2025 because of injury in the 2025 season.

MS Dhoni publicly endorsing Gaikwad's leadership is key and a clear indication of an important support system. With previous captaining experience for Maharashtra and culminating in an Asian Games victory, Gaikwad is now ready to lead CSK into the future. He will be supported in the leadership group by veterans and emerging star players. 

MS Dhoni to Play but Not as Wicketkeeper

MS Dhoni will return to play for IPL 2026 for the first time, and for the first time not as wicketkeeper. At 43, managing his physical load is very important, and we suspect he has been experiencing knee issues in recent IPL seasons. After his massive contribution as a finisher over the years, he has been an important part of the team even this season as a mentor.

Dhoni's departure opens the possibility for a new keeper—and possibly Samson—to take the gloves. With 196 runs in IPL 2025 and a great tactical brain, he is still useful. For now, Dhoni's brand and influence may have shaped CSK's identity.

See Also: R Ashwin may face ban after ball-tampering allegations in TNPL

Sanju Samson as Vice-Captain

reports indicate that Sanju Samson has been said to agree to be CSK's vice-captain for IPL 2026. His leadership experience with RR, including an IPL final in 2022, will be an asset to CSK's decision-making panel. Samson's temperament and adaptability are looked upon as ideal matches for Gaikwad.

This signing also points towards CSK's overall leadership plan—developing a solid, young core. With Dhoni and Jadeja covering their backs, the Gaikwad-Samson combination might decide CSK's destiny in the future. The stability this two-leadership duo presents already gets the fans excited.

CSK is evidently working towards equipping itself with a mix of veterans and youth. Having come last in 2025, the franchise is working to address critical holes—particularly in bat depth and leadership. Samson's addition and Gaikwad's captaincy are a sign of proactive rejigging. The foundation of Jadeja, Ashwin, and Noor Ahmad continues to provide CSK a spin-dominated boost at Chepauk. Rising stars such as Ayush Mhatre and Dewald Brevis bring in new energy. Judicious releases prior to the 2026 auction can also pave the way for crucial reinforcements.

Sanju Samson's latest Instagram post sparked speculations among cricket fans. His followers and netizens have started to speculate that Sanju may be on the verge of leaving Rajasthan Royals (RR) to join Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

The star cricketer shared a post with his wife, and in the caption, he wrote, "Time to move...!!" Along with the caption, netizens noticed a couple of other things too in the post: a yellow line and the background music Sanju used in the post. The Instagram post took very little time to be noticed by the followers of the wicket-batter and followed by the other cricket fans.

In the IPL 2025, Sanju was the regular captain of Rajasthan Royals, but due to an injury crisis, he had to remain out of the field for multiple games, which caused Riyan Parag to lead the side as the stopgap skipper. Despite repeated injury problems, the 30-year-old had a decent outing in IPL 2025. Now the question is, can Chennai Super Kings rope in Samson?

Read More: Ban loading for RCB? IPL takes big step against them

Can CSK trade Sanju Samson from Rajasthan Royals?

The answer is yes, CSK can sign in the star India player if Rajasthan Royals decides not to retain him. As a free player, the right-handed batter can join any other IPL club before the upcoming season. But to get any particular conclusion on the matter, fans have to wait. Sanju spent most of his Indian Premier League career with Rajasthan Royals. 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Sanju V Samson (@imsanjusamson)

In 2025, he batted in 9 innings and got 285 runs with a batting average of 35.62. He was appointed as their captain in 2021 and then led the team to the final of IPL 2022. The Royals have been victorious in 33 and lost 32 matches under Samson.

The 62nd match of IPL 2025 was played between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals at Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium in Delhi and in this match, Rajasthan Royals defeated Chennai Super Kings by 6 wickets and registered a spectacular victory. In this match, Chennai had set a target of 188 runs in front of Rajasthan Royals team. In response, Rajasthan Royals achieved the target very easily.

Talking about this match, Chennai Super Kings batted first and scored 187 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs. For Chennai Super Kings, Ayush Mhatre played an innings of 43 runs in just 20 balls with the help of eight fours and a six. Devin Conway scored 10 runs in 8 balls. Urvil Patel could not even open his account. Ravichandran Ashwin scored 13 runs in 8 balls and Ravindra Jadeja scored 1 run and at one point the score of Chennai Super Kings was 69 runs with the loss of 5 wickets.

After this, there was a partnership of 59 runs in 36 balls between Shivam Dube and Drewald Brevis. After that, there was also a partnership of 43 runs in 33 balls between Shivam Dube and Mahendra Singh Dhoni. In this match, Shivam Dube scored 39 runs in 32 balls and Brevis scored 42 runs in 25 balls. If we talk about the Rajasthan Royals team, Yudhveer Singh took three wickets by giving 47 runs in four overs. Apart from this, Akash Madhwal took 3 wickets by giving 29 runs in four overs.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi's bat shines in the run chase

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi gave a quick start to the Rajasthan Royals team chasing the target of 188 runs. Both the players together shared a 37-run partnership in 3.4 overs. In which Jaiswal scored 36 runs in 19 balls which included five fours and two sixes. Apart from this, Vaibhav Suryavanshi scored 57 runs in just 33 balls with the help of four fours and four sixes. Captain Sanju Samson played an innings of 41 runs in 31 balls. Dhruv Jurel scored 31 runs in 12 balls and gave the team victory. For Chennai Super Kings, Ravichandran Ashwin took two wickets for 41 runs in four overs.

ALSO READ: IPL 2025, Match 62: Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals Full Match Highlights

Twitter reactions after CSK wins 62th match of IPL 2025

RR won only 4 games and 2 off them are against CSK 🤧 pic.twitter.com/Gfex2NMVjv

— Stokesyy 🦅 (@msdpk_stokesyyy) May 20, 2025

He was online. She was online.
No one texted. Ego won 🔥
CSK lost again 🙂...

Thala for a reason 💛#copied#CSKvsRR #RRvsCSK pic.twitter.com/buyOY0n5Uf

— Believer (@Amitiousguy) May 20, 2025

Dhoni be like - Jiya ho Bihar ke Lala pic.twitter.com/QgjqFQ9WDE

— Sagar (@sagarcasm) May 20, 2025

Dhoni in CSK dressing room now#CSKvRR #CSKvsRR pic.twitter.com/bI3hutlfrO

— Dogesh (@dogesh_bhai) May 20, 2025

Vaibhav Suryavanshi ka aura hoga school me ab 🥵#CSKvRR pic.twitter.com/EQd2TpmQEN

— Rajabets 🇮🇳👑 (@rajabetsindia) May 20, 2025

CSK couldn't defend a total against Parag, Jurel and Hetmeyer 😹 pic.twitter.com/XvMh2aOx95

— Dinda Academy (@academy_dinda) May 20, 2025

Vaibhav Suryavanshi MS Dhoni #CSKvsRR pic.twitter.com/Qk7Nhzd684

— Raja Babu (@GaurangBhardwa1) May 20, 2025

Rajasthan Royals won while chasing pic.twitter.com/UK9WiSFCVp

— Out Of Context Cricket (@GemsOfCricket) May 20, 2025

Thala Meets Vaibhav Suryavanshi Today...😅 pic.twitter.com/mzh4DlkzlW

— Jo Kar (@i_am_gustakh) May 20, 2025

Vaibhav Suryavanshi touching the feet of MS Dhoni after the match ❤️#CSKvsRR pic.twitter.com/WiNpZem38M

— विक्रम 𝘬ꪊꪑꪖ𝘳 🦇 (@printf_meme) May 20, 2025

Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Sanju Samson disclosed the cause of his team's loss against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the 59th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on Sunday. A masterful bowling effort from left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar led the Punjab Kings (PBKS) side to win against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 10 runs at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.

Talking about the team's defeat, the wicketkeeper-batter said during the post-match presentation that the team had a strong start, with the openers putting up 90 runs in the powerplay, and said he couldn't have asked for more from them. However, he admitted that they failed to maintain the momentum after the power play, despite the target being very achievable. He noted that the pitch behaved differently and believed the total was chaseable, especially with the power-hitters in the lineup. Samson emphasized that it was hard to blame one particular factor but insisted that experienced players needed to step up and take responsibility. He acknowledged that there were several areas for improvement in the upcoming season and added that the main focus now was to win the next game against CSK.

"We started well, couldn't ask for anything more from the openers, scoring 90 runs in the powerplay. We couldn't continue the momentum we achieved in the powerplay. It (target) was very achievable today. The wicket played totally differently today. That was a chaseable score with the kind of power-hitters we had. It's a bit difficult to pinpoint it to one thing, we have to get the job done. A couple of experienced guys should take responsibility and perform their job. Definitely a lot of improvements to be done for the upcoming season. We can't try much, the first priority is to win the game (vs CSK)," Sanju Samson said at presentation scenario.

Also read: 'No point just blaming the batsman' - Rahul Dravid opens up on Rajasthan Royals batting woes in IPL 2025

PBKS secure marginal victory over RR due to Wadhera's 70 and Brar's 3-wicket haul

Choosing to bat first, PBKS were 34/3. This was followed by a 67-run partnership between skipper Shreyas Iyer (30 in 25 balls, five fours) and Nehal Wadhera (70 in 37 balls, with five fours and five sixes) and a 58-run partnership between Wadhera and Shashank Singh (59* in 30 balls, with five fours and three sixes) cemented PBKS's grip on the game. Then came a fiery alliance between Shashank and Azmatullah Omarzai (21* in three balls, including three fours and one six) to take PBKS to 219/5 in their 20 overs. Tushar Deshpande (2/37) was the top wicket-taker for RR.

In the chase-run, young openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (50 off 25 balls, with nine fours and one six) and Vaibhav Suryavanshi (40 off 15 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) gave RR the beginning they required, scoring 76 runs in 4.5 overs. RR maintained the run-rate even after losing watters later, with Dhruv Jurel (53 in 31, including six fours and four sixes) again scoring a good knock. But other batters could not cope with the scoreboard pressure, finishing 11 runs short, with RR at 209/7.Harpreet Brar (3/22) was PBKS's top bowler. Marco Jansen (2/41) and Omarzai (2/44) also bowled well. PBKS has eight victories and three defeats and is placed in second position with 17 points, having one point from a no result. RR stands at ninth, having won three, lost 10, with six points.

Sanju Samson joined the Rajasthan Royals (RR) training session and is set to feature in their match against the in-form Punjab Kings (PBKS) today on May 18 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.

Samson was forced to the sidelines due to injury during the crucial part of IPL 2025, while Riyan Parag was in charge as the stand-in captain to lead the team. For a long, long string of underwhelming performances, the Royals are already knocked out of the tournament and will play their remaining outings to justify their pride.

Sanju Samson's return from injury will bolster the batting of the team and can offer an extra edge over PBKS. On the contrary, the Shreyas Iyer-led side is positively eyeing a spot in the round of four mix-ups. Samson cleared all speculations about his injury during the pre-match press conference, where he hinted about his participation in the RR vs. PBKS contest.

Read More: IPL 2025: LSG vs SRH Dream11 Prediction 61st Match Fantasy Cricket Tips, Probable Playing XI

A battle to save pride 

The star wicketkeeper batter said, "I passed my fitness test, so I’m available for the game. Yeah, I think 'frustrating' is definitely the right word. It's been very difficult and challenging to watch the games from the dugout. I missed out on a lot of crucial matches, which made it even tougher. Mentally, it was hard to see the team losing and not be able to contribute on the field. But these things are part of a cricketing career. I'm trying to take it in my stride and focus on the positives."

The 30-year-old played in the seventh match of their IPL 2025 campaign, where he was forced to retire hurt after making 31 off 19 deliveries against Delhi Capitals (DC). A super over was in place to separate those teams after an intense clash, while DC emerged as the best of the night. 

After the announcement of the end of fighting, the situation on the border between India and Pakistan has become normal. Because of this, IPL 2025 will start again from May 17. Rajasthan Royals’ journey in the ongoing season has been like a nightmare so far. Captain Sanju Samson’s injury has also caused a lot of problems for the team.

Meanwhile, some good news is coming from the Rajasthan Royals camp. Captain Sanju Samson was seen batting strongly in the nets, and a video of this is going viral.

The star batter has rejoined the Rajasthan Royals camp for the remaining matches of IPL 2025. Looking at the video, it seems that Sanju has recovered from his injury and may play in the match against Punjab Kings on Sunday, May 18. The team may already be out of the playoffs, but Sanju's return is a positive sign for the squad.

Also Read -IPL 2025: Big blow for Kolkata Knight Riders as star player opts out from remainder of tournament

Sanju got injured while batting in the match against Delhi Capitals and had to retire hurt after scoring 31 runs. Because of the injury, he missed matches against Lucknow Super Giants, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Gujarat Titans, Mumbai Indians, and Kolkata Knight Riders.

Sanju Samson had surgery after suffering a finger injury during the T20 series against England in February. He was still recovering at the start of IPL 2025, which is why he only played as a batsman in the first three matches. During that time, Riyan Parag was made the captain.

Notably, the Rajasthan Royals are currently in 9th place on the IPL 2025 points table with just three wins and 6 points from 12 matches. The team still has two league-stage matches left — against Punjab Kings and Chennai Super Kings.

Former Indian cricketer S. Sreesanth has been suspended for three years by the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA). The move was made after he publicly attacked the association regarding matters concerning Sanju Samson, another Kerala cricketer. Sreesanth's remarks were deemed to be disrespectful and detrimental to KCA's reputation, particularly since he was also a co-owner of a local team in the Kerala Cricket League.

The issue started when Sanju Samson was not included in Kerala's team for a national tournament known as the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The KCA said that Samson had informed them that he would not attend the training camp. Due to this, he was not allowed to play. This later contributed to him missing out on a spot in India's 2025 Champions Trophy squad, causing a lot of disappointment to his fans and supporters.

Sreesanth later made the allegations public that the KCA was not serving talented players effectively. The veteran India pacer went to the extent of saying the association was falling short in working towards the popularization of cricket in the state. The KCA refuted these claims severely and reminded the world that it had stood behind Sreesanth even during the ban following the 2013 spot-fixing scandal.

🚨 Kerala Cricket Association suspends Sreesanth for 3 years over Sanju samson Controversy 🚨

The KCA also said that it will seek legal action for compensation from Sanju's father, Samson Viswanath, Reji Lukose and 24 news channel anchor for making "baseless allegations against… pic.twitter.com/S1ytkB8kBq

— Mohit Kamal Rath (@mkr4411) May 2, 2025

Read More: 5 players who can replace Injured Glenn Maxwell in PBKS squad for IPL 2025

KCA Responds with Legal Action and Warnings
The KCA also said that they will take legal action against Sanju Samson's father, Samson Viswanath, as he too made serious public statements against the cricket board. The association declared the comments false and harmful. They do not want to ruin their reputation and see that no one circulates unsubstantiated claims.

Even though Sreesanth is suspended, the franchise owned by him hasn't been disciplined. All teams were issued warning letters by the KCA to be more cautious in the future while selecting their management team. This entire episode has put pressure on the Kerala cricket association and made everyone wonder how players are handled and picked up in state cricket.

As With the excitement mounting for IPL 2025, the Rajasthan Royals have released a significant update regarding their skipper, Sanju Samson. The franchise has confirmed that Samson will be missing their next game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) because of a side strain. This unexpected news has created confusion regarding the team's leadership plan and the skipper's availability for the remaining season.

Sanju Samson has been the fulcrum of the Rajasthan Royals over the years. With his laid-back nature and explosive batting, not only has he led the team from the front, but also played the role of team management and player development. Earlier this year, he played an active role in formulating the team's retention plans and worked closely with head coach Rahul Dravid to have a strong core for next year's 2025 season. Players such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, and Sandeep Sharma were retained under that plan.

Sadly, Samson has been troubled by injuries in the recent seasons. After getting over a finger injury which had kept him out of initial matches, he had returned to the playing eleven with great hopes. But this recent side strain has again ruled him out, and the franchise has confirmed that he will not be accompanying the team to Bengaluru.

Riyan Parag to captain Rajasthan Royals in Samson's absence as team eyes strong IPL 2025 run

Riyan Parag will lead Rajasthan Royals in Prithvi Samson's absence as the team looks to have a good IPL 2025 run.

In Samson's stead, teen sensation Riyan Parag will be called upon to spearhead the Royals. Parag has already led the Royals in the early games of the season and made a positive impression with his leadership and batting skills. His elevation is part of the Royals' larger plan to develop future captains in the team.

The Rajasthan Royals are well-placed on the points table, and though Samson's absence is a setback, the depth and balance in their team provide hope. Fans all over the world will be eagerly looking forward to good news about Samson's fitness, as the Royals look to have a successful streak in IPL 2025.

Also read: IPL 2025: 10 players who smashed six on first ball of their IPL career

Injured Sanju Samson out of Rajasthan Royals’ clash against Lucknow Super Giants in Jaipur

In a shocking turn of events, Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper Sanju Samson is missing from the playing XI for Match 36 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). The fans were perplexed because Samson had played six games in the tournament till then and was quite in shape, both as a batsman and captain. The RR administration, however, confirmed that Samson is rested because he suffered a side strain injury while playing against Delhi Capitals in their previous match.

In that game, Samson was batting fearless when he seemed to pull his lower abdomen during a back-foot shot. He attempted to carry on but had to retire injured on 31 runs. Subsequent medical scans confirmed that the skipper has suffered from a mild side strain, which if not rested, can aggravate. In a precautionary measure, team physicians and support staff decided to rest him today for today's game so that the injury is not aggravated.

Earlier in the campaign, Samson had already missed the initial few games after suffering a finger injury while playing in India's T20I series against England. Nevertheless, he came back strongly and took RR through to a couple of wins, emerging as a key player in the middle order. His non-appearance today has once again raised eyebrows among the fans regarding RR's stability and leadership, particularly in a close-match encounter like this.

Also Read:-Rajasthan Royals vs Lucknow Super Giants (RR vs LSG): Match 36, IPL 2025, Match Preview

In Samson's place, Riyan Parag has been named the acting captain. Parag has been a captain earlier in the initial games of IPL 2025 and is considered a future leader in the making. With solid domestic experience and pressure-handling confidence, the management believes in Parag's ability to manage the duties.

There were also reports of a conflict between Samson and the team administration, but these were swiftly dismissed by head coach Rahul Dravid, who insisted the decision to leave out Samson was solely a matter of fitness and recovery.

So far, there is no word on the number of matches Samson may miss, but he is due to return when fully fit. The Royals are keeping a close eye on his condition, and fans are eagerly awaiting the day when their captain returns to take the reins as the playoff battle heats up.

Before the Rajasthan Royals’ important match against Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025, head coach Rahul Dravid spoke to the media to clear up rumours about a fight between him and captain Sanju Samson. The rumours started after a video showed Sanju not joining a team huddle during a recent match. Some people believed this meant something was wrong between the coach and the captain.

However, Dravid strongly denied these reports. “I don’t know where these stories are coming from. Sanju and I are on the same page. He is a very important part of the team, and we have a good bond,” Dravid said in the press conference. He also mentioned that Sanju is involved in every decision and discussion. Dravid said sometimes when a team loses, people start making up stories, but there is no truth to them.

Watch the Video:

Rahul Dravid talking about the rumours of rift between him & Sanju Samson.

- He said "Me & Sanju are really on the same page, Sanju is integrals part of all decision making & I have good rappo with him". pic.twitter.com/XA61kokg64

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) April 19, 2025

ALSO SEE: Not just a bowler: Amir turns finisher in dramatic cameo

Dravid Says Team Spirit Is Strong, Samson Still Part of Plans

Dravid also talked about how hard the players are working and how much they care about their performance. He said that even though criticism is normal in cricket, false stories hurt the team. “When things go wrong, we accept the criticism for our performance, but not for things that aren’t true,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sanju Samson’s injury is also a concern. He had to leave the field during the last game against Delhi Capitals after feeling pain in his side. He had scored 31 runs before retiring hurt. The medical team sent him for scans, and the team is waiting for the results to decide if he can play the next match. Dravid said, "Sanju experienced some discomfort in his abdominal region. He has got the scans done, and once we are aware of more, we will take the correct decision."

Apart from all the gossip and the scare of the injury, Rajasthan Royals are keeping their eyes set on the next match. Dravid's statement indicates that the team is one that is together and determined to perform at their best. They are hoping to continue their good season and strive for a spot in the playoffs.