“I would let go of him and others like Overton” - India’s World Cup star outlines CSK’s IPL 2026 auction plan

Former Indian opener Kris Srikkanth believes the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will not lose anything by trading away Sam Curran in the blockbuster deal involving Ravindra Jadeja and Sanju Samson. With the IPL 2026 retention deadline days away (November 15), the latest reports have all but confirmed Samson moving from the Rajasthan Royals (RR) to CSK for Jadeja and Curran.

Srikkanth also urged the five-time champions to release Curran's England teammate, Jamie Overton, and go all-in on acquiring Australia's Cameron Green.

Talking about CSK's auction plans post the potential Jadeja-Samson-Curran trade, Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel (26:31):

"RR management will be too happy now because they are getting a world-class left-arm spinner and Sam Curran. Curran is fine as if I was CSK, I would anyway let go of him and others like Overton. You'll get better all-rounders in the auction. CSK will gun for a Cameron Green."

Srikkanth believes RR will win the deal over CSK should they acquire Jadeja for Samson in the trade.

"This is a great trade for RR. They'll happily accept it. Plus, Jadeja started his career with them only and won the first IPL there. Jadeja is a champion player. There's a difference between a champion player and a good player. Is Sanju Samson a champion player or just an excellent player? I would say he's just an excellent player," he stated.

Samson has captained RR for the past five years and has been arguably their most consistent batter in that period. Meanwhile, Jadeja struck the winning runs in CSK's latest IPL title in 2023 and has been with the franchise since 2012.

"Losing Jadeja will create an imbalance" - Kris Srikkanth on the CSK's fortunes in IPL 2026

Kris Srikkanth believes CSK will struggle to achieve team balance with the loss of Ravindra Jadeja. The former captain also felt the Jadeja trade could force the franchise to retain Rachin Ravindra as a spin-bowling all-rounder.

Despite CSK finishing at the bottom of the table in IPL 2025, Jadeja scored over 300 runs and picked up 10 wickets in 14 matches.

"This may force CSK to retain Rachin Ravindra as the all-rounder. Samson is brilliant in isolation but not to the point where you sacrifice Jadeja for him. Losing Jadeja will create an imbalance to the entire CSK team. Fans will also be upset as Jadeja has won so many games for them," said Srikkanth (via the aforementioned source).

Srikkanth also believes CSK should have looked to develop young Urvil Patel as MS Dhoni's wicketkeeping successor instead of acquiring Samson.

"It's easier to get Dhoni's replacement. Last season itself you got a developing version in Urvil Patel. Why don't CSK develop him? See what the Punjab Kings did. They had all non-international Indian players. Yet, see how brilliantly they did. What they did was develop youngsters only," he added.

At 27, Urvil showed much promise towards the end of IPL 2025, averaging over 22 at a strike rate of over 212 in three games.

Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran