CSK-RR Trade Talks Heat Up Ahead of IPL 2026: Chennai Super Kings may trade Shivam Dube and Ravichandran Ashwin to the Rajasthan Royals for Sanju Samson ahead of IPL 2026.
Prasanna Aghoram Hints at Major Player Swap
Samson led the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025, which ended on June 3 with RCB winning their first title. After the season, he was spotted in the U.S. watching an MLC 2025 game.
Former RCB and South Africa analyst Prasanna Aghoram has hinted at a possible trade between CSK and the Rajasthan Royals.
He revealed that CSK are in talks to swap an Indian off-spinner and a left-handed middle-order batter for a top-order batsman. His claim drew attention because of his close ties with Ravichandran Ashwin, often seen on the spinner’s YouTube channel.
“Trade talks have begun. An Indian off spinner and a left handed middle order Indian batter for a top order wicket keeper batsmen #IPL2026,” Prasanna wrote on his official X (formerly Twitter) account.
Trade talks have begun.
An Indian off spinner and a left handed middle order Indian batter for a top order wicket keeper batsmen #IPL2026— Prasanna (@prasannalara) June 26, 2025
Prasanna Aghoram suggested that CSK might trade Ashwin and Shivam Dube to RR for Sanju Samson. The deal would be worth ₹21.75 crore for RR and ₹18 crore for CSK, so RR may need to pay CSK ₹3.75 crore extra.
Sanju Samson could consider leaving RR, possibly to lead CSK, as Ruturaj Gaikwad has struggled as captain recently.
Ashwin’s Underwhelming Return to CSK in 2025
Ashwin, back with CSK in 2025 after 10 years, took only 7 wickets in 9 games. Dube had a better run, scoring 357 runs in 14 matches at an average of 32.45 and a strike rate of 132.22.
Sanju Samson had a tough IPL 2025. A finger injury from the England T20I series limited him early on, and a side strain made him miss five straight matches.
He managed 285 runs in nine games with an average of 35.62 and a strike rate of 140.39, scoring only one fifty. His patchy form came as RR finished ninth with just 8 points in 14 matches.
It was also Rahul Dravid’s first season as RR head coach after leaving the India job. So far, Samson has played 177 IPL matches, scoring 4,704 runs with 26 fifties and 3 hundreds.
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