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Franchise Interest in Sanju Samson Extends Beyond CSK

The growing chatter linking Sanju Samson with Chennai Super Kings appears to have substance beyond social media speculation. CSK franchise is open to welcoming the batter-keeper in their fold, but so are a few other teams.

A senior CSK official confirmed interest in Samson, stating that no formal communication has yet been initiated with the Rajasthan Royals' management. "We are definitely looking at Sanju. He is an Indian batter, who is a keeper and an opener. So if he is available, we will certainly have a look at the option of having him in our fold."

The real dilemma will be deciding which player to offer in return. Samson was the No 1 retention of Royals at a value of Rs 18 crore. A potential like-for-like trade-off could involve skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad himself, whose retention price also stands at Rs 18 crore.

Apart from CSK, a couple of other teams too have approached the Royals for Samson. The Royals management is conscious of the fact that it sits on two premium assets in their ranks – Dhruv Jurel besides Samson.

It is unlikely a trade deal will be reached anytime soon, and should that happen at all, it can only be for a player who can be deemed a worthy replacement. RR lead owner Manoj Badale will take a call on the approaches.