In Short
- Sanju Samson is reportedly planning to leave Rajasthan Royals
- Suryavanshi’s rise could be one of the reasons behind Samson’s departure
- Chopra has suggested not CSK, but KKR should bid for Samson
Former India cricketer turned commentator Aakash Chopra believes that the rapid rise of Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) young opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi must’ve played a key role in Sanju Samson’s reported desire to leave the franchise ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. Chopra suggested Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) could be the most eager side to sign Samson if the Rajasthan captain decides to leave.
Reports have suggested that Samson has asked RR to release him, sparking speculation about his next move. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra, questioned why Samson would want to leave Rajasthan in the first place, especially given his key role in their set-up in previous seasons.
“Why would Sanju Samson want to leave? It’s interesting because when the last mega auction happened, they let Jos Buttler go, and I felt they let Jos Buttler go because Yashasvi had come and Sanju wanted to open, and Sanju and Rajasthan Royals were really, really thick,” he said.
The emergence of young opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi, however, might have shifted the team dynamics, reckons Chopra.
“I felt there would have been a massive input from Sanju in the players they retained or released. However, now it seems it might not have been there. Vaibhav Suryavanshi has come, so two openers are already ready, and you also want to bat Dhruv Jurel up the order. So Sanju wishes to leave. If he is thinking like that, it’s possible. These are conjectures. I don’t know what’s in his and Rajasthan’s minds,” Chopra said.
Samson scored 285 runs at a strike rate of 140.39 in nine innings during IPL 2025. Meanwhile, Suryavanshi’s explosive start to his IPL career – 252 runs in just seven innings at a staggering strike rate of 206.55, including the fastest IPL century by an Indian has made him a headline name and possibly altered RR’s batting plans.
KKR should be most desperate to sign Samson: Chopra
The former opener further suggested that KKR’s current set-up makes them prime contenders for Samson’s inclusion.
“The first name that comes to my mind is not CSK. KKR should be the most desperate team. KKR don’t have an Indian wicketkeeper-batter, and that just ties their hands behind their back. Secondly, what’s wrong if you get a captain? I am not denying that Ajinkya Rahane has captained well and has scored runs as well,” Chopra said.
Chopra explained that Rahane’s batting position has posed challenges, and KKR could consider releasing all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer, one of their high-value players.
“However, Ajinkya Rahane as a batter, either he opens or else the batting order has been a bit of a problem. They have a player they can release as well. If they wish, they can release Venkatesh Iyer, free up nearly 24 crore, and then they can actually make a difference,” he added.
In IPL season 2025, KKR lacked an Indian wicketkeeper-batter, relying instead on overseas options Quinton de Kock and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Chopra feels that Samson, being both a quality Indian wicketkeeper and a strong leadership option, would fit “perfectly” into their plans.
