Shamik Chakrabarty, Mumbai
In 2008, Shane Warne, who else, saw raw talent in a young spin-bowling all-rounder at Rajasthan Royals and coined the moniker, ‘Rockstar’. To casual observers, Ravindra Jadeja’s bouffant was more attractive than his cricket back then, but Warne was a gem-cutter.
Jadeja would go on to become an all-time great in Indian cricket and if Warne deserves the credit for unearthing him, MS Dhoni was the man to mother-hen the southpaw after he joined Chennai Super Kings in 2012. Circa 2025, and if the Jadeja-Sanju Samson swap eventually happens between CSK and Royals, Jadeja’s IPL career would come full circle. But why are the five-time IPL champions interested in such a trade? Here’s the lowdown…
Dhoni’s final season?
In all likelihood, the 2026 IPL is going to be Dhoni’s final season as a player. Next year, he will turn 45, and although he is expected to be with CSK in some capacity after hanging up his playing boots, the franchise need a long-term replacement for their most iconic player. Sanju, who will turn 31 tomorrow, is at the peak of his career. Stepping into Dhoni’s shoes is a very heavy cross to bear. But, given his experience of playing for India and the leadership role at Royals, Sanju is expected to be up for it.
Why are Royals seemingly keen to part ways with Sanju?
Even during the last edition of the IPL, during a private conversation with this correspondent, a franchise insider had said that Royals wouldn’t be letting go of Sanju in the “foreseeable future”. Things, however, changed quickly. At the end of the tournament, Sanju took his transfer request to the franchise hierarchy. The first round of negotiations between Royals and CSK turned out to be less productive and the deal was off the table. But over the last few days, the two franchises re-engaged. As regards Sanju and Royals, apparently too many bridges have been burned. If the franchise fail to strike a deal with CSK, the wicketkeeper-batsman is likely to be sent to auction.
Why are CSK using Jadeja as a makeweight?
CSK initially wanted an all-cash deal for Sanju, but Royals, according to sources, demanded Jadeja and Shivam Dube in a swap deal. CSK summarily rejected the Dube approach. As far as Jadeja is concerned, Dhoni and head coach Stephen Fleming spoke to him, and only after the all-rounder gave his consent did the negotiations between CSK and Royals intensify. RevSportz broke the story that Royals want a second player in the deal and Sam Curran has been offered to the Rajasthan-based franchise.
Who could be Jadeja’s replacement at CSK if the deal goes through?
On the face of it, Jadeja is irreplaceable. It’s not only about the hard numbers — 3,260 runs and 170 wickets in the IPL. Jadeja is still India’s best out-fielder and the only like-for-like replacement is Axar Patel. But the latter is one of the mainstays for Delhi Capitals and CSK aren’t getting him. It would be interesting to see how they make do if Jadeja is traded to Royals.
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