Former Indian player thinks Rajasthan Royals to trade captain for captain from CSK for Sanju Samson, His name is…
New Delhi: Former Indian batsman Aakash Chopra believes that if Sanju Samson leaves Rajasthan Royals (RR) this season, Ravichandran Ashwin could be a good option for the captaincy of the franchise. Chopra’s comments come amid rumours that Samson wants to seek a new challenge outside RR, and Ashwin has made a similar request to Chennai Super Kings (CSK), although no swap has been confirmed between the two teams.
Samson’s absence and the challenge of young players
Samson missed 5 of the 14 matches in the league stage of IPL 2025 and did not captain in three more matches. In his absence, 23-year-old Riyan Parag led the team but only managed to win 2 out of 8 matches. RR also have other young options in Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel, but both lack experience, which makes them not the first choice.
Aakash Chopra’s take on captaincy
“RR’s captain could go to CSK, though it is not certain that he will be the captain there because Ruturaj Gaikwad could continue as captain, but Ashwin could come to Rajasthan and become the captain because they need a captain,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel. “I was thinking who will become the captain of Rajasthan if Sanju leaves. Dhruv Jurel is not ready yet and is very young. Yashasvi Jaiswal has captaincy aspirations, but I don’t think they will invest in him right now. Riyan Parag was decent last season. So this could prove to be a good option,” he said.
CSK’s interest and the possibility of a swap
CSK is reported to be most interested in bringing in Sanju, possibly to ensure that a successor is ready when MS Dhoni retires. However, RR have reportedly demanded some players in return, but it is not clear if CSK will agree to it.
Chopra’s conclusion on the potential deal
“With Sanju in yellow (CSK), the future of wicketkeeping is set,” Chopra said. “Then MS Dhoni can do whatever he wants. RR also need an off-spinner because (Wanindu) Hasaranga and (Maheesh) Theekshana haven’t done too well. So they will get both a captain and an off-spinner and everything will look fine. I think this deal can happen,” he added.
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