NEW DELHI: India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has spoken from the heart about his long and cherished association with Rajasthan Royals, amid mounting speculation that he could be released before the 2026 IPL season. The 30-year-old, who has been the face of the franchise since taking over captaincy in 2021, remains their all-time leading run-scorer with 4027 runs in 144 IPL innings.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Reports have suggested Samson may have handed in a transfer request, seeking a fresh chapter in his IPL career. Strong rumours have linked him to five-time champions Chennai Super Kings, who are believed to be planning for life after MS Dhoni.
Speaking to Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube channel, Samson’s tone was one of deep gratitude for the Royals, who signed him in 2013 when he was still a teenager.
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“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 recalled.He credited the Royals for backing him at a formative stage in his career. “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.”Under his leadership, RR reached the 2022 final before losing to Gujarat Titans. However, IPL 2025 proved challenging — Samson missed five matches due to a side strain, with Riyan Parag stepping in as stand-in skipper. The team finished ninth with just four wins.Samson was retained for Rs 18 crore ahead of the last mega auction alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Sandeep Sharma, and Shimron Hetmyer.
