Indian Batter Sanju Samson says that leaving Rajasthan Royals was a "big risk" for him
After 11 seasons with the Royals, Samson was transferred to CSK for Rs 18 crores, with RR receiving all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran in exchange in one of the largest pre-auction transfers of all time
XtraTime Newsdesk: Sanju Samson, an Indian wicketkeeper-batsman, warned about quitting Rajasthan Royals (RR) ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, calling it a "huge risk". He also explained why he left the Men in Pink and how the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) management believed in him despite a difficult start to the IPL 2026 season with very poor scores.
Samson, India's 'Player of the Tournament' in their ICC T20 World Cup victory this year with 321 runs and three successive fifties from a virtual quarterfinal against West Indies to the final against New Zealand, entered the latest IPL season with CSK with high expectations, as he was in top form with the bat.
After 11 seasons with the Royals, Samson was transferred to CSK for Rs 18 crores, with RR receiving all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran in exchange in one of the largest pre-auction transfers of all time. But for Samson, the season began with three single-digit scores before he hit an undefeated 115* against the Delhi Capitals.
Samson told JioStar's 'Superstars' that he knew 2025 would be his final season with RR and that he wanted to "start from zero" by adjusting to a spin-friendly Chepauk pitch.
"Leaving Rajasthan Royals was a huge risk. Once you convey your feelings to the franchise, there is no going back. You could end up in a team you do not want to go to or even in the auction with no certainty. There were two reasons behind this decision. First, I was sure that 2025 would be my last season with RR. I had long conversations with my family and my wife. They kept asking me if it was an impulsive decision or if I was really sure. We discussed it for two or three weeks, and then we decided it was time. I was convinced it was the right call.
Second, I am a confident person. I believe I can stand on my own. I am always ready to start from zero. Many people told me that my batting style might not suit the slow Chepauk wicket. Those thoughts did cross my mind. But then I told myself, 'You are 30 years old. Go out and find a way.' This IPL season, I went in with a lot of energy, thinking I had to achieve something. I discovered a new energy there, and it was working very well for me," he added.
Samson scored 477 runs in 14 innings this season at an average of 43.36 and a strike rate of 165.63, with two centuries and a fifty. CSK ended at the eighth spot in the points table, with six wins and eight losses in 14 matches, giving them 12 points.
