In a major development, Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson has reportedly formally asked the franchise for his release ahead of the IPL 2026 season. According to reports, Samson had a falling out with the management, and if the reports are to be believed, he has no intention of continuing to represent Royals in the IPL anymore.
If Samson’s reported exit from Royals comes to fruition, the inaugural IPL champions will lose one of their most loyal superstars and their captain as well. The side will be keen on finding a replacement for him in the upcoming auction of the tournament.
Players who might replace Sanju Samson in Rajasthan Royals’ squad:
Steve Smith
One of the most reputed names in world cricket, veteran Australia batter Steve Smith could be a replacement for Sanju Samson in RR’s squad for the IPL 2026. Having previously played for Royals, Smith is already well-versed with the culture within the franchise, and should he opt to appear in the IPL 2026 mini auction, roping in Smith could prove to be a game-changing move for the inaugural champions.
At 36 years old, Smith has found form in the shortest format of the game. He has played a total of 259 T20s in his career, where he has scored 5,835 runs to his name at an average of 32.41 runs. He could fill in the number three gap in the side and could be a potential captaincy replacement as well.
Glenn Phillips
New Zealand’s star batter and a maestro in the field, Glenn Phillips, could come in RR’s squad after Sanju Samson’s exit from the franchise. While not directly replacing him, Phillips could fill in the gap of the finisher, something that Royals lacked severely in the IPL 2025.
He did not play a single game for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2025, and if he is released from the squad, Royals could go for him and strengthen their middle order.
Manish Pandey
Veteran India batter Manish Pandey only played three games for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2025, where he scored 92 runs to his name. If he is released in search of more game time, Royals could scoop up his services in the mini auction, as the wealth of experience he would bring could do wonders for the side in case of Samson’s exit from the franchise.
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