With a few months to go until the IPL franchises make their intentions for the 2026 season clear, rumors of player trades and exits are already making the rounds on social media.
In recent times, the potential exit of Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson has been on everybody's lips, with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) being a speculated favored destination for the wicket-keeper batter.
Pouring oil on fire, a social media post now alleges that Ravichandran Ashwin, who returned to CSK last year, has asked the franchise to release him.
Ashwin's return to Chennai a year ago caused great stir, as it was a homecoming to the franchise where he started his IPL journey. But it seems like this reunion would be short-lived, as the experienced spinner—now retired from the international circuit—is looking for new challenges.
Ashwin's IPL 2025 season was anything but consistent; he appeared in just nine games for CSK and picked up just seven wickets. His form resulted in him being benched for a number of matches as the franchise preferred to try out youth. At 38, Ashwin's inclusion in an already older-than-30 years-centric team might not be in CSK's interest down the line.
In case the rumors about Samson's possible departure from Rajasthan Royals turn out to be true, then he could become a genuine contender for CSK. Samson, being a wicket-keeper batter and also the captain, is viewed widely as a solid contender to replace MS Dhoni, quite possibly before the 2026 season.
Incidentally, Ashwin had great success with the Rajasthan Royals during his playing career. This makes the idea of a trade in which Ashwin is traded to Rajasthan and Samson goes to CSK an attractive solution for both teams.
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