Chennai Super Kings are back in the race for Sanju Samson. The franchise wants him badly before IPL 2026 starts. Multiple teams are competing for the Rajasthan Royals’ wicketkeeper now.
Samson Trade Gets Complicated
Sanju Samson asked the Rajasthan Royals to release him officially. He wants to leave after Jos Buttler was released earlier. The relationship between Samson and RR management broke down recently.
CSK showed interest first but pulled back from negotiations. Delhi Capitals jumped in and started talking with the Rajasthan Royals. DC offered Tristan Stubbs and one uncapped Indian player already.
Now, CSK has re-entered the IPL Trade discussions again. They might swap Ravindra Jadeja or Shivam Dube for Samson. RR owner Manoj Badale is handling talks with multiple franchises personally.
MS Dhoni Confirms IPL 2026 Return
A big announcement came from CSK about MS Dhoni. CEO Kasi Viswanathan confirmed that Dhoni will play the IPL 2026 season. This announcement ended all retirement rumours floating around recently.
Dhoni played 248 matches for CSK across many years. He scored nearly 4,865 runs and won five IPL titles. CSK finished last in IPL 2025 for the first time ever.
The team needs fresh blood to bounce back strongly. Dhoni took over captaincy when Ruturaj Gaikwad got injured last season. But CSK struggled throughout that disappointing campaign badly.
CSK Eyes Multiple Wicketkeepers
The IPL Trade News suggests CSK wants top wicketkeeper-batters desperately. KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan are both on their radar for IPL 2026. Delhi Capitals refused to release KL Rahul though.
Ishan Kishan might become available if Sunrisers Hyderabad releases him. CSK prefers young and aggressive players for their rebuild. Kishan fits this profile perfectly with his batting style.
The trade deadline is November 15 for all teams. The mini-auction happens in December after that deadline. CSK is also talking with Mohamed Ali and Sonu Yadav separately.
Sonu Yadav has taken 39 wickets in 23 domestic matches already. Mohamed Ali has limited experience with just 3 T20 games. The retention announcement for IPL 2026 will reveal CSK’s final strategy soon.
