Rajasthan Royals To Trade Sanju Samson To Delhi Capitals - But For Which Player?

Rajasthan Royals (RR) are reportedly in advanced discussions to trade their captain and star wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson to Delhi Capitals (DC) in exchange for South Africa’s Tristan Stubbs ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction, according to a Times of India report published on November 1 (Saturday).

Speculation around Samson’s future with RR has been building for months, with multiple reports suggesting that the Kerala batter is keen to move on before the next auction. If the deal goes through, Samson would be returning to the franchise where he featured during the 2016 and 2017 seasons.

Reporting for TOI, Sahil Malhotra wrote: “KL Rahul's name came up for discussions for the swap but DC were reluctant to let go of a player who had been their key performer last season and brings a lot of brand value.

"RR are happy with the idea of having Stubbs in their camp but it's understood that they asked for another uncapped player alongside the South African. That, however, wasn't entertained by the Capitals and there is a bright possibility of seeing Samson back in DC colours from the next IPL season.”

The report also claimed that RR approached Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to explore a potential trade involving Ravindra Jadeja, but the Chennai franchise was not interested in the proposal.

Meanwhile, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are said to be eager to bring KL Rahul into their setup, but the three-time champions currently lack a viable trade option to tempt the Capitals.

While Andre Russell and Sunil Narine could theoretically be part of a deal, both are in their late 30s, and Delhi are understood to be prioritising younger players. The only trade-worthy names in KKR’s current core - Rinku Singh and Varun Chakaravarthy - are considered untouchable by the franchise management.