Titles and the Rajasthan Royals — it’s a pairing that has felt more like nostalgia than reality. Seventeen years have passed since that improbable fairytale in 2008, and the search for a second crown has stretched across eras, captains, philosophies, and auction tables. Yet here we are again, staring at another rebuild, barely a year removed from a mega auction that was supposed to provide clarity and direction.
The mood around Jaipur shifted dramatically when Rahul Dravid returned as head coach in 2025. The World Cup-winning legacy, the sense of homecoming — it felt like a turning point. Many believed the franchise had finally found both identity and balance. But the season that followed told a different story.
Instead of stability, the Royals stumbled, finishing in the lower half of the table. Their batting order lacked rhythm, their combination choices raised eyebrows, and their retention decisions from the previous cycle aged badly.
And now, 2026 presents another chance to reset.
Another chance to get it right.
But also, perhaps, the most delicate moment in the franchise’s modern history.
THE SANJU SAMSON QUESTION — HEART VS STRATEGY
This is not just another player movement story. This is about the face of the franchise. Sanju Samson, after more than a decade with the Royals, looks set to leave via a trade. The captain who led RR to two playoff runs in four seasons — including the 2022 final, their best run since 2008 — is now at the centre of negotiations.
Samson wasn’t just the captain. He was the constant.
He was the quiet defiance of the franchise — loyal, immensely talented, deeply invested, yet always carrying more responsibility than perhaps any one player should.
Over the years, Samson has been among RR’s most consistent run contributors — not always explosive, but reliably present in a batting lineup that fluctuated around him.
And yet, the Royals appear willing to move him — reportedly for a package involving Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. Two world-class all-rounders, yes. Two experienced leaders, yes. But neither is the kind of marquee batting presence who alters the psychological weight of a lineup.
The deal sounds logical on paper — depth, balance, experience. But emotionally? It feels like losing the axis around which the Royals have quietly revolved. This is a turning point. One that must be followed with clarity and not improvisation.
WHERE THE SQUAD STANDS NOW
The Royals’ top order has potential — perhaps even brilliance — but it is young, streaky, and still forming its identity. Yashasvi Jaiswal remains the future — gifted, fearless, still finding consistency. Riyan Parag looked to have finally found his groove in 2024, but stumbled in 2025 and has to rediscover his best form. Dhruv Jurel has shown growth as a player and could take the No. 3 or No. 5 role depending on matchups. Vaibhav Suryavanshi is raw but exciting. But without Samson, there is no senior batting to level the playing field. No anchor. No emotional focal point.
Which means RR’s retention and auction plans must address experience — not just talent.
THE BOWLING RESET
The bowling unit needs a full re-examination. Last season, the Royals lacked reliability at both ends of the innings — they did not defend totals consistently, and their powerplay threat was muted with the loss of Trent Boult. In addition, the experience and class that Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin brought to the table were also missing.
However, there are building blocks. Jofra Archer, if fit, remains RR’s identity in the pace department. Nandre Burger brings added variety with the left-arm pace and could be a good weapon on good surfaces.
POTENTIAL RETENTIONS
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Lhuan-dre Pretorius
TRADES:
Sanju Samson (18 crore) Ravindra Jadeja + Sam Curran
RELEASES:
The franchise likely moves on from most of its bowling depth and rotational bench players.
Expected Purse Remaining: Rs 32.4 crore
TOP AUCTION TARGETS
- Adam Zampa (Leg-spinner): A wicket-taking spinner to dominate in the middle overs is exactly what RR lacked in 2025. Zampa brings control in the middle overs, excellent match-ups to the right-handers and the experience in high-pressure T20 situations.
- Mitchell Owen (Batting All-rounder): Not a finished product — but definitely a profile fit. Young, aggressive, flexible in batting order, and a two-phase seam bowler. If Punjab releases him, RR should move early. The kind of player who grows with the identity of a side.
- Heinrich Klaasen (Power Middle-order): This is the swing piece. Few players in world cricket hit spin as brutally or consistently as Klaasen. Slot him at No. 3 or No. 5, build the innings around him, and RR immediately gain a centre of gravity in the lineup.
This is more than a retention cycle. This is the identity reset of a franchise that has spent too many seasons being interesting rather than imposing. Letting go of Sanju Samson will hurt in ways numbers never fully capture. But if the Royals are to break the 17-year drought, the decisions made now must be clear, strategic, and bold. The question is simple:
Will they finally commit to a well-thought-out plan and stay with it?
– Ends
