Sanju Samson has signed a massive deal with Kochi Blue Tigers for the upcoming Kerala Premier League (KPL) season, making headlines with his record-breaking price tag.
The Rajasthan Royals skipper, who featured in IPL 2025, was roped in by Kochi for ₹26.80 lakh – the highest amount paid to any player in KPL history.
With KPL’s salary cap fixed at ₹50 lakh per team, Samson’s signing has already taken up more than half the budget, showing how much value the Kochi franchise sees in him.
The tournament will run from August 21 to September 6.
Although India won’t be playing T20Is during that time, Samson’s availability could still be uncertain.
He may end up missing most of the KPL season if selected for the Duleep Trophy, which begins on August 28.
Sanju Samson had a difficult outing in IPL 2025, sitting out five matches due to injury.
His absence was clearly felt by Rajasthan Royals, who failed to make it to the playoffs.
According to PTI, “at least six RR players have attracted trade-off interest from various franchises.”
Even though no names were officially mentioned, Samson’s name is one that’s likely to be on several teams’ radar.
The Royals, meanwhile, already have Dhruv Jurel waiting in the wings as a capable alternative.
Two franchises in particular are said to be keeping a close watch – Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
With MS Dhoni nearing 45 years of age by the next IPL, CSK may need a long-term replacement behind the stumps.
KKR, on the other hand, may not want to rely too much on Quinton de Kock or Rahmanullah Gurbaz across the entire tournament.
Both sides could see Sanju Samson as the right fit going forward.
When contacted, CSK CEO Kashi Viswanathan didn’t respond to calls.
Sources from Rajasthan Royals also chose not to comment on whether a trade-off involving Samson is under discussion.
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