Overseas quota hurdle stalls Jadeja-Samson trade

The much-discussed Ravindra Jadeja–Sanju Samson swap has not yet been executed, nearly 48 hours after Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals initiated an Expression of Interest (EoI). The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has yet to receive a formal request for approval.

The delay stems from a procedural complication involving a third player—an overseas cricketer—included in the deal. Rajasthan Royals’ overseas quota is already full, and they cannot accommodate England’s Sam Curran unless they release one of their existing foreign players.

Compounding the issue is the Royals’ limited player purse balance: only ₹30 lakh remains, while Curran’s auction value is ₹2.4 crore. As of Tuesday, the Royals already have eight overseas players—Jofra Archer, Shimron Hetmyer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kwena Maphaka, Nandre Burger, and Lhuan-dre Pretorius—alongside 14 Indian players.

The Jadeja-for-Samson exchange is straightforward, involving two Indian players moving between teams. The Royals currently have 22 players in their squad and can add up to three more, provided they stay within the overseas player cap and have sufficient purse balance.

The matter could be resolved by releasing an overseas player with a fee exceeding ₹2.4 crore. The Royals are reportedly considering releasing Sri Lankan spinners Wanindu Hasaranga (₹5.25 crore) and Maheesh Theekshana (₹4.40 crore), which would create overseas space and free up funds.

However, this may only occur after the November 15 retention deadline, when franchises announce their retained and released players. The trade could go through by then, unless the Royals announce retentions early.

With more time needed, there remains a possibility that one of the franchises or players could change their mind. A source familiar with the trade said, “Possible but unlikely… having come this far, the likelihood of one of them backing out is less.”

The ball is in the Royals’ court to expedite the process if they are serious about acquiring Jadeja.