India national cricket team wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has opened up on his exit from Rajasthan Royals (RR) ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. Addressing the media in Thiruvananthapuram, Samson said there was no controversy behind his exit and that he believed it was the right time to move on after a long association with the franchise. “This is the first time I will play against Rajasthan Royals, but I don't let emotions rule me on the field. I left Rajasthan Royals because I felt my time in the team was over. Even if we come up against them now, I will play my best cricket,” he said.

The 31-year-old had been a long-serving figure for Rajasthan Royals and captained the side to the IPL final in 2022. Over the years, he emerged as one of the franchise’s most influential players, both as a batter and leader. Rajasthan Royals had earlier indicated that Samson conveyed his intention to leave during the 2025 season. He was subsequently traded to Chennai Super Kings in a deal valued at 180 million rupees (approximately $2.2 million).

Samson will now join Chennai Super Kings for IPL 2026 and said he is looking forward to working alongside captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. “I have spoken to Mahi bhai over the phone and interacted with him, but playing with him as part of a team will be great. I see it as an opportunity to learn from him,” he added.

Samson heads into IPL 2026 in strong form following a productive T20 World Cup campaign for India, where he scored 321 runs and delivered key performances in the latter stages of the tournament.

The five-time IPL champions will open their 2026 campaign against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on March 30, according to the schedule announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The match will mark Samson’s first appearance against his former team.

The league’s 19th edition is scheduled to run from March 28 to May 31 across multiple venues in India, although only the initial phase of fixtures has been confirmed so far due to upcoming state elections.

Following the opener, Chennai will host Punjab Kings (PBKS) on April 3 before traveling to Bengaluru to face Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 5. The team will then return home to play Delhi Capitals (DC) on April 11.

Chennai Super Kings — IPL 2026 fixtures (Phase 1)