Overview

• Kolkata Knight Riders have entered trade talks for Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson by offering either Angkrish Raghuvanshi or Ramandeep Singh alongside significant cash.
• Rajasthan Royals continue to insist on high-value player swaps such as Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube or Ravindra Jadeja, complicating deal structures.
• Samson has formally requested a release ahead of the IPL 2026 auction but remains under contract through 2027 with an ₹18 crore retainer.
• The valuation gap between Samson’s ₹18 crore fee and the ₹3–4 crore worth of KKR’s domestic talents requires a hefty cash adjustment.
• Failure to resolve terms before the trade deadline could force Samson into the mini-auction or leave him in contractual limbo.