Sanju Samson has officially joined the Chennai Super Kings camp for IPL 2026, becoming one of the biggest talking points before the season. A few days after CSK pulled off a major trade with Rajasthan Royals, the team shared the first look of Samson in the famous yellow jersey. It marks the start of a fresh chapter for both Samson and the five-time champions.
In a video shared on CSK’s social media, Sanju Samson was seen wearing the No. 11 jersey and talking openly about how he feels about the move. The Indian wicketkeeper-batter, who played most of his IPL career with Rajasthan Royals, said wearing the CSK colours feels surprisingly special and emotional for him.
"I have been waiting for this day and I'm very fortunate that I am going to wear the yellow jersey. I am always in my dark colours, but yellow, definitely I think it's a great feeling," Samson said.
"To wear that jersey, I never thought about how I would feel after wearing CSK. It felt positive and I felt very happy. It felt different, like a different energy. I felt like a champion. I felt like, okay, wow," he added.
Sanju Samson’s arrival is seen as a big part of CSK’s future plans as the team gets ready for the time after MS Dhoni. At 29, Samson already has a strong IPL record, 177 matches, 4,704 runs, three centuries, and 26 fifties.
He also brings solid leadership experience after leading Rajasthan Royals for many seasons. CSK signed Samson through a major trade that sent two experienced all-rounders, Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran, to Rajasthan Royals.
The IPL’s media note said Jadeja’s salary was adjusted from ₹18 crore to ₹14 crore as part of the deal. Samson will play for CSK at his current price of ₹18 crore, while Curran stays at his earlier value of ₹2.4 crore.
"Jadeja, who played for CSK for 12 seasons, is among the most experienced players in the league, having played over 250 games. Rajasthan Royals captain and India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson will now represent Chennai Super Kings at his existing league fee of INR 18 crore," the advisory stated.
The trade has changed both teams in a big way. Rajasthan Royals gain two strong all-rounders, Jadeja and Curran, which gives their team more balance. For CSK, getting Samson makes their batting stronger and also gives them someone who could lead the team in the future.
