IPL Trade Update: RR and DC near Sanju Samson,Tristan Stubbs swap; KKR eye KL Rahul move

Sanju Samson and Tristan Stubbs could be part of the first big trade before the next IPL auction, with Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Delhi Capitals (DC) close to finalising the deal. Samson has made it clear that he wants to leave RR, and both teams have been in talks for the past few weeks.

Sources say that DC are very interested in getting Samson, but they do not want to give away any of their main players. There was a discussion about KL Rahul being part of a possible swap, but DC decided against it since Rahul has been one of their best players and also brings good brand value. RR are happy with the idea of getting Tristan Stubbs, but they wanted one more uncapped player in the deal. DC did not agree to that, and now it looks quite likely that Samson will join DC and Stubbs will move to RR, if there are no last-minute issues.

🚨 IPL TRADE UPDATE. 🚨

- Sanju Samson to join Delhi Capitals.

- Tristan Stubbs to join Rajasthan Royals. (TOI). pic.twitter.com/q4AqvDzNJk

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) November 1, 2025

RR also spoke to other teams about Samson in the past few months. They even reached out to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to discuss a swap for Ravindra Jadeja, but those talks did not go far. At this stage, the Samson-to-DC and Stubbs-to-RR move seems the most possible.

At the same time, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are making a significant effort to recruit KL Rahul. The franchise needs an efficient captain and a top-order batter. New head coach Abhishek Nayar has a strong bond with Rahul. KKR's management would like to recruit Rahul.

Delhi Capitals (DC) are uninterested in senior players and prefer to invest in younger talent. There has been some chatter about Andre Russell, but DC want long-term options. While Rinku Singh and Varun Chakravarthy are deserving of any amount, KKR are not yet ready to let them walk.

🚨 KL RAHUL AS KKR CAPTAIN 🚨

- KL Rahul is likely to Join KKR as Captain in IPL 2026. (Vipul Kashyap/ANI). pic.twitter.com/TuLLAlNJcR

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) November 1, 2025

Another consideration is the future of Venkatesh Iyer. After a rough season, Iyer will likely not find many suitors, and he may even end up back in the auction pool. KKR have plans to go big on Cameron Green, so potentially releasing Iyer could help to clear up some funds. For now, the KL Rahul situation is still open. But if the Samson–Stubbs deal gets done, KKR are expected to chase Rahul with even more interest.

ALSO SEE: BCCI Plans ₹125 Crore Reward for India Women’s Team if India Women Lift the World Cup: Reports