Amidst the growing trade rumors of the IPL 2026 mega auction, Sanju Samson’s long association with Rajasthan Royals may be close to its end. Since 2013, a part of the Royals setup and his captain since 2021, Samson, has been an important person in the franchise visit in the last decade. One of the most consistent artists in the IPL, a Kerala -born batsman has scored more than 4000 runs in the tournament and has selected a few centuries in his name. As captain in 2021, in his first season, Samson scored 484 runs, including a memorable 63-ball 119 against Punjab Kings, which were in the beginning of their captaincy. He followed it in 2022 with another strong campaign, scored more than 400 runs and took Royals to his second IPL final. The 2024 season was an individual high point, in which Samson scored 531 runs and rated a strike of 48.27 and 153.47 on an average. Over the years, his IPL demonstrations have also translated a more regular location in India’s white balls. After his T20I debut in 2015 and ODI in 2021, Samson had a success year in 2024. He broke three T20Is at home, one against Bangladesh at home and twice on two tours in South Africa. No other batsman has scored more T20i in the same calendar year for centuries.
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If Sanju Samson leaves Rajasthan Royals, then which team should they join?
Samson has spent his entire IPL career with Royals, except for the 2016 and 2017 season when the franchise was suspended. During that period, he played for the capitals of Delhi. In the most recent IPL season, Samson showed in nine matches before refusing mid-tournament due to injury. He scored 285 runs at an average of 35.62 and a strike rate of 140.00. In particular, he did not captain the side in all nine matches. A thumb injury meant that he was played as a batsman in the first three matches, in which Ryan Parag led the team in his absence. During a match against Delhi Capital, Samson returned to Captain before another injury, removing him again, in which Parag once again stepped into a skipper. Since starting its IPL for Rajasthan Royals in 2013 at the age of 18, Samson has represented the team in 11 sessions, more than any other player. He has shown 149 matches for the franchise and leads his all-time run-scoring chart, with 4027 runs at an average of 31.70 in 144 innings and a strike rate of 141.24. He has also recorded records for most 50-plus scores for Royals, including 27 such knocks including two centuries and 25 fifties.
