Chennai Super Kings (CSK) dashing opening batter Sanju Samson has opened up on the reason behind leaving the Rajasthan Royals (RR) franchise ahead of the IPL 2026 season, after representing the Royals for 11 seasons.
Speaking exclusively on JioStar, Samson has disclosed that he had two reasons to leave the Royals’ franchise. He went on to recall that a lot of his close ones advised that the Chepauk surface wouldn’t suit his batting style. However, he went ahead with his decision to join the Chennai-based franchise and had an impressive season.
“Leaving Rajasthan Royals was a huge risk. Once you convey your feelings to the franchise, there is no going back. You could end up in a team you don’t want to go to or even in the auction with no certainty. There were two reasons behind this decision. First, I was sure that 2025 would be my last season with RR. I had long conversations with my family and my wife. They kept asking me if it was an impulsive decision or if I was really sure,” said Samson on JioStar’s Superstars.
“We discussed it for two or three weeks, and then we decided it was time. I was convinced it was the right call. Second, I am a confident person. I believe I can stand on my own. I am always ready to start from zero. Many people told me that my batting style might not suit the slow Chepauk wicket. Those thoughts did cross my mind. But then I told myself, ‘You are 30 years old. Go out and find a way.’ This IPL season, I went in with a lot of energy, thinking I had to achieve something. I discovered a new energy there, and it was working very well for me,” he added.
Furthermore, the keeper-batter has recalled the initial part of the IPL 2026 season when he couldn’t get enough success. However, he asserted that in the shortest format of the game, failure is common, adding that you tend to fail more than you succeed.
“In T20 cricket, failure is common. In this format, you tend to fail more than you succeed. So, when you are going through a rough patch, you need people around you who understand that failure is part of the game. When I joined CSK, I failed in my first three games. We lost all three, and I didn’t score runs. I had just come off playing in the World Cup final, but I wasn’t able to carry that form into the IPL,” said Samson.
“In that situation, no matter how experienced you are, you know that the coach expects more, the captain expects more, and Mahi bhai is watching you. So I went to the nets, worked on my game, and stayed in my zone. I was more mature this time around and I knew what I had to do. But what really stood out was that the response from the team management and my teammates didn’t change even one per cent. When I failed three matches in a row, their faith in me never wavered. That meant a lot to me,” he concluded.
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