Ruturaj Gaikwad has been confirmed as the Chennai Super Kings captain for IPL 2026, and new recruit Sanju Samson is excited about the prospect of playing under his leadership. Samson, who arrived at CSK via a high-profile trade from Rajasthan Royals, shared his positive sentiments about the team’s direction.
While Samson led RR from 2021 to 2025, raising hopes of a captaincy role at his new franchise, CSK has reaffirmed its commitment to Gaikwad. Samson addressed this during a video released by the Chennai Super Kings, expressing his eagerness to contribute to the team.
“Rutu is a good friend of mine. He is the Captain and I want to play under his captaincy. I want to be with him as a leader,” Samson remarked, underscoring his comfort and support for Gaikwad. This marks a significant shift for Samson, whose move to CSK was a pre-discussed transition.
The reasons behind Samson’s departure from Rajasthan Royals were attributed to the emotional toll of a difficult season. It was noted that the wicketkeeper-batsman was personally and emotionally fatigued by the team’s performance, which was described as their worst in nearly two decades.
In the reciprocal trade, Rajasthan Royals acquired Ravindra Jadeja, who returns to his former team, and Sam Curran, who will make his debut for RR. The Royals are now preparing for leadership changes post-2027, with Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Dhruv Jurel being eyed as potential future captains.