CSK confirm captain for IPL 2026 on retention deadline day after Sanju Samson trade
Sanju Samson has been traded to the Chennai Super Kings for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran from Rajasthan Royals. Meanwhile, CSK have confirmed their captain ahead of the IPL 2026.
Chennai Super Kings have been the busiest franchise ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. Even before the retention deadline on November 15, the five-time champions were in action as they traded in Sanju Samson for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran.
The Super Kings have released 11 players as they look to build their squad for the 2026 season, mainly from a clean slate. With Samson traded in, there were a few options CSK could have gone with as far as captaincy is concerned.
Meanwhile, the Super Kings have confirmed Ruturaj Gaikwad as their captain ahead of the next season of the tournament. The franchise confirmed the development through a social media post. "Lead the way, Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad," CSK wrote in a post on X.
Meanwhile, CSK CEO KS Viswanathan spoke on the much-talked-about trade of Samson, Jadeja and Curran. "A transition in a team's journey is never easy. Trading out a player like Ravindra Jadeja, who has been an integral part of the franchise for more than a decade, and Sam Curran was one of the toughest decisions we have taken in the team's history," he said as quoted by CSK on their website.
"The decision was taken with mutual understanding with both Jadeja and Curran. We are deeply grateful for Jadeja's extraordinary contributions and the legacy he leaves behind. We wish both Jadeja and Curran the best for the future.
"We also welcome Sanju Samson, whose skill set and achievements complement our ambitions. This decision has been made with great thought, respect, and a long-term vision," he added.
List of Players released by CSK on retention deadline:
Matheesha Pathirana, Devon Conway, Rahul Tripathi, Vansh Bedi, Andre Siddarth, Rachin Ravindra, Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar, Shaik Rasheed, Kamlesh Nagarkoti
List of Players retained by CSK:
Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brevis, MS Dhoni, Urvil Patel, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh, Nathan Ellis, Shreyas Gopal, Mukesh Choudhary