Ravindra Jadeja likely to join Rajasthan Royals as captain, Sanju Samson headed to CSK: Report

Ahead of IPL 2026, Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is reportedly set to join the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and could take over the team’s captaincy.

According to a News18 CricketNext report, Jadeja has made captaincy a key condition in his trade agreement with the Royals, a move that would see Sanju Samson move the other way to Chennai. The 37-year-old India star, who wants to finish the last leg of his IPL career with added responsibility, is said to have already held discussions with RR management.

While RR had other captaincy options including Riyan Parag, who led the side briefly last season, the management reportedly prefers Jadeja’s leadership experience to bring balance and seniority to the youthful squad.

On the other hand, sources have indicated that Samson won’t immediately take charge at CSK. With MS Dhoni’s future as a player beyond 2025 still uncertain, the franchise does not plan to alter its leadership for now. Ruturaj Gaikwad, who led CSK last season before missing several matches due to injury, is likely to continue as captain.

The trade deal, which also reportedly involves Sam Curran moving from CSK to RR, is said to be in its final stages and could be officially announced in the coming days.

Jadeja began his IPL journey with the Royals in the inaugural seasons before a 2010 suspension led him to CSK, where he became one of the franchise’s most celebrated players.

Over 13 seasons with Chennai, Jadeja scored 2,198 runs, picked up 143 wickets, and lifted three IPL titles (2018, 2021, 2023).

Jadeja also briefly captained CSK in 2022 after Dhoni stepped aside, but the stint proved short-lived as the team struggled early in the season, prompting him to relinquish the role back to Dhoni.

Meanwhile, Samson’s move to CSK would mark a fresh chapter for the Kerala batter, who departs as RR’s longest-serving captain with 67 matches (33 wins, 33 losses) and as the highest run-scorer in the franchise’s history with 4,219 runs in 155 games.

RR endured a disappointing ninth-place finish in IPL 2025, while CSK ended at the bottom of the table. All ten franchises are required to finalise their player retentions by November 15, with the mini-auction for IPL 2026 scheduled in December.