Sanju Samson to replace MS Dhoni at CSK?

The rumour was further triggered by his appearance on R Ashwin’s YouTube channel, where he opened up about various aspects of his life.

Excitement around the world’s richest cricket league -- Indian Premier League (IPL) is already building while the next season is still several months away.

Thanks to ongoing transfer talks, the buzz surrounding IPL is soaring with each passing day.

The teams are actively scouting the right additions and replacements, and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is being spoken about in the players trading largely due to uncertainty over MS Dhoni’s future due to his advancing age. There are strong rumours that Dhoni might not continue and Sanju Samson, who is with Rajasthan Royals (RR) could be his potential successor.

Sanju will be in much demand in IPL due to his strong performance in the international circuit. He scored three T20I hundreds in five matches against Bangladesh and South Africa last year, and thanked head coach Gautam Gambhir and then-skipper Suryakumar Yadav for their unwavering support.

The rumour about Sanju's possible switch to RR from CSK was further triggered by his appearance on R Ashwin’s YouTube channel, where he opened up about various aspects of his life.

The 30-year-old was seen talking about his modest beginnings in Delhi, representing Team India, and his memorable IPL journey with the Rajasthan Royals.

"RR has meant the world to me. A small child coming from a village in Kerala, wanting to show his talent. And then Rahul (Dravid) sir and Manoj Badale sir gave me a stage to get up and show the world what I am made of,” Samson told Ashwin in his YouTube show.

CSK, who have clinched the title five times, are facing several challenges in the most lucrative T20 franchise league, with finding a suitable captain who can perfectly fit in Dhoni’s shoes being the most daunting one.

In 2022, CSK experimented by handing over the captaincy to all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, and a year later, they tried Ruturaj Gaikwad, but both moves flopped. On both occasions, the franchise turned back to Dhoni mid-season for the captaincy.

Sanju got backing from former cricketer Kris Srikkanth, as he referred to the former's huge popularity in Chennai and his specialty as a keeper-batter-cum-leader that makes him an able replacement for the 44-year-old Dhoni.

The podcast was filled with anecdotes and reflections on Sanju’s cricketing journey. Parallelly, strong rumors suggest that Sanju may be released ahead of the 2026 IPL season, and he has already submitted a transfer request. If granted, it would close the chapter on a journey that started in 2013.

As per PTI news agency reports, Ashwin himself has been in discussion with CSK for a possible move on, and the five-time champions have been spoken about as a likely destination for Sanju.

"That time, they trusted me throughout. The journey with RR has been really great, and I’m very grateful to have been in a franchise like that. It really means a lot to me," added Sanju, in a possible hint at switching to the whistle podu camp.