"Riyan Parag is the reason"- Former CSK batter’s massive claim on reports of Sanju Samson wanting to leave RR after IPL 2025

Former India batter S Badrinath has said Riyan Parag's presence in the Rajasthan Royals (RR) squad could be the reason behind Sanju Samson reportedly asking the franchise to release him. The 44-year-old questioned why the wicketkeeper-batter would stay if Parag was one of the contenders to take over as RR captain.

Parag led RR in the first three matches of IPL 2025. He was given the reins again later in the season when Samson sustained an abdominal injury. Badrinath said on his YouTube channel "Cric It with Badri":

"I feel Riyan Parag is the reason. If you consider him for captaincy, how do you expect someone like Samson to stay?"

Badrinath also questioned the batting number for Samson if he were to join CSK. He feels the presence of the likes of Ayush Mhatre and Ruturaj Gaikwad at the top and Dewald Brevis in the middle could create an issue. He added:

"If Sanju Samson does come to CSK, then he could be the like-for-like replacement for MS Dhoni. Samson is a batter who can bat in the top three or four spots in the batting order. He is not someone who could fit in the number five or six spot in the playing XI. CSK are strong in those areas of the playing XI. Mhatre is settled, Gaikwad is settled, Brevis is settled."

"I am not sure if CSK would do a transaction like MI did to get Hardik Pandya from GT. So even if Sanju Samson comes in, the question remains whether CSK can fit him into the playing XI," the two-time IPL winner said.

Samson has been linked with a move to CSK ahead of IPL 2026, as per recent reports.

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S Badrinath opens up the debate on CSK captaincy if Sanju Samson were to join five-time champions

S Badrinath questioned what may go through Ruturaj Gaikwad's mind if Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were to bring Sanju Samson into their fold. The former right-hander feels that the five-time IPL champions are still unsure about whether to bring Samson into their squad or not. The former CSK batter said:

"The other aspect to consider is captaincy. Whether MS Dhoni leads or not, Ruturaj Gaikwad is the captain. He's led only for one season. If you give the captaincy to Samson, how would Gaikwad feel about that?. That is something we need to consider. I think keeping all these things in mind, CSK are still thinking of whether or not to go ahead."

Reports had emerged on Thursday that Samson had formally made a request to RR to either trade or release him from the franchise, ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. He featured in only nine out of the 14 league matches in IPL 2025.