The IPL 2026 trade window has been open for quite some time, but apart from the usual reports and rumours, there hasn’t been any concrete movement. For months now, speculation has linked Chennai Super Kings (CSK) with a move for Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson. According to a Cricbuzz report, things aren’t exactly smooth between Samson and his current franchise.

No Sanju Samson in Yellow – At Least for Now?

While CSK did reportedly make an offer, it seems the proposal didn’t sit well with the Royals’ management. The buzz was that Chennai might part ways with one or two players to bring Samson on board, but in keeping with their long-standing team policy, the franchise is not keen on releasing any of its core members.

Names like Shivam Dube and Ravichandran Ashwin were floated in the rumour mill, but those whispers have been put to rest. For now, it’s clear that CSK isn’t planning to trade away their players.

Auction Might Be the Only Route

That leaves the IPL 2026 auction as the most realistic option if CSK truly wants Samson. However, it won’t be an easy pursuit his price could easily shoot beyond Rs 20 crore. For the 2025 season, Rajasthan retained him for Rs 18 crore.

Meanwhile, skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and MS Dhoni are currently in Chennai to discuss the team’s roadmap.

While all of this remains pure speculation, the signs point to CSK showing faith in their current squad despite a forgettable 2025 season. After all, it was only last year that the franchise underwent a major overhaul at the auction, and they might prefer giving this group another shot before making big changes.