Sanju Samson is preparing to leave the Rajasthan Royals (RR) ahead of the IPL 2026 mini auction. According to speculations, the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter might be dealt to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran.
Samson has led the RR since 2021. With his departure, the inaugural champions will need to pick a new captain who can carry on their great tradition.
Riyan Parag captained the Royals through eight games of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL). He captained the team for the first three games while Samson, who was recovering from a finger injury, was designated as the Impact Player. Samson suffered a rib injury midway through the competition and missed five matches, forcing Parag to take over for the second time.
While cricket fans were nearly convinced that Parag would be named full-time captain ahead of the IPL 2026, two of his compatriots have emerged as frontrunners for the position.
According to a report in TOI, wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel and Team India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal are two likely picks for the captain’s post if Samson indeed leaves.
Yashasvi has cemented his place in India’s Test line-up and is very close to sealing his spot in white-ball cricket. The southpaw started his IPL career with the Royals in 2020 and has amassed 2166 runs in 66 matches at an average of 34.38 and a strike rate of 152.86.
Meanwhile, Dhruv Jurel has been in stunning form in red-ball cricket of late. He slammed two unbeaten centuries while playing for India A against South Africa A last week in the second unofficial Test between the two sides. Having made his IPL debut in 2023, Jurel has scored 680 runs in 35 innings at an average of 28.33 and a strike rate of 153.85.
Yashasvi and Jurel are 23 and 24 years old, respectively. Whoever is appointed captain could serve them for a long time, bringing stability, clear direction, and strategic continuity.
India
