In a historic development ahead of IPL 2026, Sanju Samson has officially been traded to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in what experts are calling the biggest swap deal in IPL history. Rajasthan Royals agreed to release their long-time captain as part of a blockbuster trade involving senior all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran moving to RR.
For Samson, the switch to CSK opens a new chapter—where he is expected to strengthen the top order and potentially be groomed as a long-term leadership option for the future.
Sanju Samson may not have had an illustrious career for India, but he has carved himself a place in the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) history.
He has been part of the league since 2013, playing the majority of his matches for Rajasthan Royals (RR). He has racked up lots of runs for them in the league.
And it’s at the same franchise where he worked on his leadership skills. Samson has had considerable success in the IPL and even in domestic T20 cricket.
Here you can look at Sanju Samson’s captaincy record in IPL and T20 cricket.
Sanju Samson Captaincy Record in IPL & Domestic T20 Cricket
| Tournament | Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Tied | No Result | Win% |
| Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) | Kerala | 32 | 19 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 59.37 |
| Indian Premier League (IPL) | Rajasthan Royals | 67 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 1 | 49.25 |
| Total | 99 | 52 | 46 | 0 | 1 | 52.53 |
Sanju Samson has extensive experience as a captain in domestic T20 cricket. He has led Kerala in SMAT and RR in the IPL.
Samson first had a dash with captaincy back in 2018. He stood in for Sachin Baby for Kerala in the SMAT 2018.
Read more: MS Dhoni Captaincy Record
But it was in January 2021 that he led Kerala for the first time in a full-time capacity. He managed three wins in five group-stage matches, though he fell short of taking Kerala into the knockouts.
That considerable success led to RR appointing Samson as their new skipper in IPL 2021. While RR had a below-average run in 2021, the very next season, Samson guided them to the final. The Royals couldn’t win the trophy, but it showed Samson’s improvement as a leader.
Two seasons later, RR made it to yet another playoff, reaching the eliminator with eight wins in the group stage. This time, Samson couldn’t take them to the final.
Like to know? IPL 2026 Trade: Players List, Confirmed & Rumours
In the 2025 season, Samson led them in just six matches, with two wins under his belt to finish in the ninth spot. In all, he has led RR in 67 matches, with 33 wins and 33 losses. Samson is the most successful skipper in RR’s history.
