The need for a top-order Indian batter forced Chennai Super Kings into the difficult decision to trade long-serving all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in exchange for Sanju Samson, CSK managing director Kasi Viswanathan said on Saturday, as the franchise explained the rationale behind one of its most emotional roster moves ahead of the IPL 2026 season.
The league confirmed that Jadeja and Sam Curran had been traded to the Rajasthan Royals, with Samson moving to CSK.
Viswanathan acknowledged that while the development had been speculated for days, official confirmation from both teams left fans stunned, given how central Jadeja and Samson had been to their respective franchises. He stressed, however, that the move was mutually agreed upon by the players and the management.
“Chennai Super Kings, as you know, have traded Jadeja and Sam Curran for Sanju Samson from Rajasthan Royals. As a franchise, you might know that over the years, we have not used the path of trading, except for one year when we got Robin Uthappa. The team management felt the need for a top-order Indian batsman. And since not many Indian batsmen are going to be available at the auction, we thought the best way to get an Indian top-order batter is to go through the trade window.
“And hence we have to take this call. And, this decision has been taken by the team management and it is a very tough decision leaving out Jaddu, who has been responsible for the success of CSK over the years. It was probably one of the toughest decisions that CSK had to take, that the team management had to take. Considering the transition of CSK at this point of time, the team management took the toughest decision.
“It is a must that we should consult with the players concerned. And it was after mutual agreement that we undertook this. When I spoke to Jadeja, he was also very clear that if there is an opportunity for him because he also felt that he was at the fag end of his career in white ball. So he also felt that he could have a break,” Viswanathan said in a video shared by CSK.
He added that parting with Curran was equally difficult: “Sam Curran was with us in 2020, 2021 and 2025. He has been a consistent performer for us. As I said earlier, leaving out Sam as well as Jaddu was one of the toughest calls. We have certain players who are at the fag end of their career. And it is very important for CSK to build a team in the next couple of years. And since this is a mini auction, we don’t have the opportunity to get the best of the Indian batsmen.”
Explaining why Samson fit CSK’s long-term plans, Viswanathan said, “Sanju has been one of the most experienced IPL batsmen, having scored more than 4,500 runs. And he has also been leading the Rajasthan Royals. He has the experience and he is only around 30 years. So, we thought that he would be a good addition for CSK to take care of the future. Emotionally, the fans will be very very upset because I have already got a lot of messages from the fans. But taking into account the current status of the team composition, the CSK cricket management felt the need for a change. And I am sure that in the years to come, CSK will maintain the same kind of consistency and also perform well.”