The trade involving Ravindra Jadeja and Sanju Samson is still unresolved. This delay do not relate to either player. The issue lies with Sam Curran, the third player in the deal, and the overseas quota and budget of the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026.
Cricbuzz reports that the Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals expressed interest in the trade about 48 hours ago. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not received a formal approval request. The trade is still “in process,” meaning there is a procedural issue causing the delay.
Why is the deal stalled for IPL 2026?
The exchange of Jadeja for Samson is straightforward, as it involves two Indian players swapping teams. This part does not violate any IPL rules.
The complication stems from Sam Curran moving from CSK to the Rajasthan Royals. Curran is an overseas player, and the Royals already have a full foreign player quota. Currently, they have eight overseas players: Jofra Archer, Shimron Hetmyer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kwena Maphaka, Nandre Burger, and Lhuan-dre Pretorius, along with 14 Indian cricketers. IPL rules state that they cannot add Curran unless they release at least one of those eight players.
Budget Constraints Affecting the Trade
Money is also a significant concern. The Royals have only INR 30 lakh left in their budget, while Curran’s value at auction is INR 2.4 crore. Although their squad has 22 members, three short of the maximum 25, they cannot bring in Curran without opening up both an overseas slot and enough budget to cover his current contract.
One potential solution for the Royals is to release an overseas player with a salary higher than INR 2.4 crore. The IPL 2026 franchise is reportedly considering letting go of their two Sri Lankan spinners, Wanindu Hasaranga (INR 5.25 crore) and Maheesh Theekshana (INR 4.40 crore). Doing so would create the necessary overseas spot and budget to finalize the three-way trade.
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