New 'Thala' in Chennai? MS Dhoni's CSK confirms interest in Sanju Samson, but a multi-team tug-of-war awaits

Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have begun their preparations for the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). This year marked a historic low for the franchise, as they finished at the bottom of the points table for the first time. MS Dhoni took over as captain midway through the tournament after Ruturaj Gaikwad was sidelined with a hairline fracture in his elbow. Recently, there has been considerable speculation that CSK is keen on acquiring Rajasthan Royals' captain Sanju Samson.

The discussions have gained traction on social media, with numerous CSK fan clubs exploring the possibility of Samson joining the highly popular franchise.

As reported by Cricbuzz, CSK is receptive to the idea of adding the wicketkeeper-batter to their roster. A senior official from CSK confirmed to the publication that the club is indeed "interested" in bringing Samson on board, although no official talks have taken place with the Rajasthan Royals as of yet.

"We are definitely looking at Sanju. He is an Indian batter, who is a keeper and an opener. So if he is available, we will certainly have a look at the option of having him in our fold," the official told Cricbuzz.

"Who we will trade him with we have not taken that call because the matter has not gone that far. But yes, in principle, we are interested," the official added.

If CSK intends to acquire Samson, they will need to trade some of their players in exchange. The Indian wicketkeeper-batter was the top retention for Rajasthan Royals at INR 18 crore prior to the IPL 2025 season.

The trading window is currently open, and it remains uncertain whether CSK will formally approach the management of Rajasthan Royals. As reported by Cricbuzz, not only CSK but also a few other teams have expressed interest in Samson.

Samson had a notable performance in IPL 2025

Rajasthan Royals ended up in the second-to-last position on the points table during the 18th edition of the T20 tournament. Samson was sidelined for several matches due to an injury.

In the IPL 2025 season, Samson participated in nine matches for the Rajasthan Royals, accumulating 285 runs, with his highest score being 66 against SunRisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

The right-handed batter began the tournament as an impact substitute. Upon returning as captain, he experienced a side strain, which caused him to miss five games for the franchise.

During his absence, Riyan Parag took over the leadership of the Royals. There were also rumors suggesting that Samson had a strained relationship with head coach Rahul Dravid. However, Dravid dismissed these rumors.

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