There are a few months to go before the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise finalises their plans for the 2026 season but rumours of potential trades and exits are already doing rounds on social media. For a couple of days, the exit of Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson has been buzzing the world of cricket, with Chennai Super Kings being rumoured as the ideal destination for the wicket-keeper batter. A social media post has now claimed that Ravichandran Ashwin, who returned to CSK last year, has asked the franchise bosses to release him.
Ashwin’s homecoming to the Chennai franchise last year created plenty of buzz, considering it was the same franchise with whom the off-spinner started his career. But Ashwin’s return home seems to be lasting for just one year, with the veteran spinner, now retired from international cricket, seeking a new challenge.
Ashwin didn’t have the most consistent IPL 2025 season, making just 9 appearances for CSK, in which he claimed just 7 wickets. The underwhelming season also saw Ashwin being benched for several games, with the franchise trying younger alternatives. At 38 years of age, Ashwin isn’t the most ideal player on the roster for the Super Kings, a franchise already loaded with players aged 30 and above.
Samson could be a serious option for CSK if the rumours of his potential exit from Rajasthan Royals are true. Being a wicket-keeper batter and a captain, Samson is arguably the finest candidate to fill the shoes that will be vacated by MS Dhoni, probably before the 2026 season.
Incidentally, Ashwin is a player who enjoyed plenty of success with the Rajasthan franchise. Hence, a trade involving Ashwin and Samson could be a possible solution for both RR and CSK.