IPL Trade: Rajasthan Royals ask for Ravindra Jadeja or Ruturaj Gaikwad in swap deal for Sanju Samson

The uncertainty over Sanju Samson’s future with Rajasthan Royals has grown, with fresh reports indicating that the franchise is actively working on potential trade options for their captain. As reported by Cricbuzz, RR have reached out to multiple IPL franchises to check if they are interested in acquiring the India wicketkeeper-batter. Lead owner Manoj Badale is said to be personally involved in the discussions.

According to Cricbuzz, during these talks, Badale has even named specific players from other teams that the Royals would want in exchange for Samson. In the case of Chennai Super Kings, it is believed RR asked for either Ravindra Jadeja or Ruturaj Gaikwad as part of a swap. These demands are understood to be deal-breakers for CSK, who are not willing to release two of their most important players.



Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

Shivam Dube’s name has also been mentioned in some conversations, but Chennai are reportedly unwilling to part with the India all-rounder either. In fact, CSK officials are said to be reluctant to release any of their current players. This makes a direct swap between Samson and CSK seem unlikely at present, unless lengthy negotiations change the equation or Samson’s name comes up in the auction.

However, there is no certainty that Samson will even enter the auction. RR are believed to be in serious trade talks with more than one team, and there is interest from several other franchises. This means another franchise could step in and finalise a deal before the auction stage.

Samson, who has been with RR for several seasons and captained them in recent years, has reportedly made a formal request to the management for a move, stating that he wants to take his career in a new direction. Over the past seasons, there have been reports of differences between Samson and the team’s decision-makers.


One point of tension was the Royals’ choice to release Jos Buttler before the last season while retaining Shimron Hetmyer. Samson had previously told Star Sports that letting Buttler go was one of the most difficult calls for him, and during a dinner with Buttler in the England series, he admitted he was still not over it.

Despite these issues, Samson has avoided making any negative public comments about the franchise. In a recent podcast with R Ashwin, he said the Rajasthan Royals setup means a lot to him and spoke highly of Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the young left-handed batter who replaced him at the top of the order in the RR batting line-up.

If a suitable trade does not materialise, Samson could still remain with Rajasthan Royals, as releasing or trading a player is entirely the franchise’s decision. The player’s role in this process is limited to making a formal request. For now, the situation remains open-ended, and it is clear that Samson’s next move will be one of the biggest talking points of the upcoming IPL off-season.

Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!