“And when it’s time…I AM moving On” - Sanju Samson’s emotional post for RR after trade to CSK for IPL 2026 [In Picture]

Indian wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson penned an emotional post on social media for the Rajasthan Royals (RR) after his switch to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) was officially confirmed on Saturday, November 15. The 31-year-old's second stint with the inaugural champions came to an end ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) retention deadline.

Sanju Samson came into the RR setup in 2013, where he was involved for three seasons, before a switch to the Delhi Daredevils (now renamed as Delhi Capitals), where he spent a couple of years. The wicket-keeper made a return to RR in 2018, eventually taking over the captaincy from Steve Smith in the 2021 edition.

Samson played a major part in the franchise's revamp ahead of the 2022 edition through the mega auction. He famously led to the finals in IPL 2022, losing out on the title against the Gujarat Titans (GT). His captaincy career continued to thrive as he guided RR to the playoffs in the 2024 edition as well.

After representing the franchise for 11 years, Samson expressed his gratitude while moving on to a new chapter.

“We are only here for a short period of time. Gave MY everything to this franchise,enjoyed some great cricket,made some lifetime relations,treated everyone in the franchise as my family.. And when its time..I AM moving On..Shall always be grateful for everything," Samson wrote on his Instagram account.

While Samson departs from RR, the franchise have acquired three players in Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, and Donovan Ferreira through trade deals ahead of the retention deadline.

Sanju Samson played 149 IPL matches for the Rajasthan Royals

The wicket-keeper made his debut for RR in IPL 2013 against the Kings XI Punjab (now renamed as Punjab Kings) in Jaipur, scoring an unbeaten 27 in the six-wicket win. He went on to play in 149 matches for the franchise in the competition, recording 4027 runs at an average of 31.71 and a strike rate of 141.25.

Samson leaves RR as their leading run-scorer, well above the second-placed Ajinkya Rahane. As captain, he led the team in 67 matches, which included 33 wins, giving him a win percentage of 49.25.

Edited by Gokul Nair