Aakash Chopra, the former Indian cricketer and the current commentator, shared his strong opinion that the instant rise of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) opening batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi might have influenced Sanju Samson to leave the franchise before the mini auction.
It is reported that Samson requested RR to release him, which creates uncertainties about his future in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Notably, the 30-year-old was not only the highest ever run scorer for Rajasthan, but also the longest-serving captain for the franchise, who has indeed become a core part of their identity and branding value.
While there are speculations that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) would acquire him via a trade deal, Chopra pointed out that the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) might be the most eager team to sign him, only if the RR captain leaves the franchise.
‘Why Samson Wants To Leave RR’: Aakash Chopra Questions
On his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra raised one of the most interesting points that enhanced the curiosity among fans and cricket experts. He asked why Samson would leave RR, given his important role in their plans in the recent seasons:
“Look! Why would Sanju Samson want to leave the Rajasthan Royals? The fascinating reason is that the franchise let go of their best-performing batter, Jos Buttler, because Yashasvi Jaiswal was there, and Sanju wanted to open alongside him. So, Samson and RR seemed to be closely connected,” Chopra said.
Was there any Rift Between Sanju Samson and RR after IPL 2025?
Several media reports claimed that there was an increased conflict between Samson and RR after the 18th season of IPL concluded on 03rd June 2025.
Particularly, fans noticed that Samson opted himself away of the team despite the lack of solid proof.
Also, he didn’t get too many chances on the field to prove his abilities, as he was injured and his role was limited to just an impact player. Particularly, Samson’s injury left a void in RR’s opening slot, which Vaibhav Suryavanshi made the best use of and rose to fame.
Out of 9 matches played, Samson batted at No.3 in two matches, where Suryavanshi continued to retain his spot as an opener alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Aakash Chopra Explains How Suryavanshi Shifted RR’s Perspective
Furthermore, Aakash calculates how the rise of the 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi played a pivotal role in changing the team’s planning and strategic approach:
“Yeah! I believe there was a huge input from Sanju Samson on which players should be retained or released. But now it looks like he might not have influenced much.
After Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s entry, there are already two aggressive openers. Also, you might try promoting Dhruv Jurel higher in the batting order. So, if Sanju wishes to leave and has any plans, then it could become possible. These are only the possible predictions. I don’t know what is going on in his mind as well as the minds of Rajasthan’s management,” Chopra explained.
Why KKR would be Eager to Sign Samson: Chopra’s Opinion
The former cricketer highlighted how KKR’s current squad could make them the frontrunners to acquire Samson for IPL 2026:
“No! The first name that strikes my mind is not at all CSK. Rather, KKR should be the prime contenders as they don’t have any talented wicketkeeper-batters. And this is indeed their main drawback that leaves them clueless.
Another factor is that there is nothing wrong if you get a captain. I agree that Ajinkya Rahane led the team well as a captain and tried his level best to score runs as an experienced right-handed batter.
But Rahane’s role as a full-time batter has been a problem if he performed somewhere else in the batting order rather than as an opener. So, KKR has a player whom they can release if they wish to.
However, my suggestion is to release Venkatesh Iyer, as they can free upto INR 24 crores approximately and then engage in a highly competitive bidding war to acquire Samson, which actually makes a difference,” Chopra added a few more facts.
No Indian Wicketkeeper-Batter for KKR in IPL 2025
It is a fact that KKR faced a dilemma of not having any Indian wicketkeeper-batter. Instead, the three-time champions heavily depended on overseas players like Rahmanullah Gurbaz from Afghanistan and Quinton de Kock from South Africa.
Therefore, Aakash Chopra strongly suggested that Sanju Samson, being a skilled Indian wicketkeeper and a brilliant captain, could perfectly fit into the plans of the Knight Riders.
Who Would Become the Next Captain If Samson Parts Ways with RR?
Riyan Parag, who served as the stand-in captain during Samson’s absence in IPL 2025, seems to be the top contender to take over the role as RR’s full-time captain for the next season. The second option the franchise could consider is Dhruv Jurel, whose composed demeanor behind the stumps promises to fill the void left by Samson after his exit.
Players KKR Could Release to Acquire Samson: Overall Opinion
Aakash Chopra believed that KKR could release Venkatesh Iyer to free up a space upto INR 24 crore and acquire Sanju Samson in the mini-auction.
But, there are other possible options that the Knight Riders can consider by releasing their captain, Ajinkya Rahane. They can also opt to part ways with the foreign wicketkeepers like Quinton de Kock and Rahmanullah Gurbaz to get a larger purse to strategically perform well in the bidding event.