ESPNcricinfo reports that Samson conveyed his wish to depart soon after the 2025 season concluded.
The Royals, who finished their end-of-season review in June, have not yet made a definitive decision on the matter. Reports indicate that the team is still trying to convince their long-serving captain to stay.
RR’s primary owner, Manoj Badale, chose not to comment, but the ultimate choice will be his, in collaboration with head coach Rahul Dravid.
Should the franchise agree to let Samson go, they have two options: place him in the auction or arrange a trade with another team.
A trade could involve exchanging players or simply a cash-only deal, but IPL rules stipulate that the team management has the final say on the decision. Samson’s history with RR goes back to 2013, when he played three seasons in a row before spending two years with the Delhi Daredevils (now known as the Capitals). He rejoined the Jaipur-based team in 2018 and was named captain in 2021. Under his command, RR made it to the IPL final in 2022, their first since winning the inaugural season in 2008. That year, Jos Buttler and Yuzvendra Chahal were standout performers, earning the Orange and Purple caps, respectively. However, both players were let go before the 2025 mega auction. Samson himself was one of six players retained last year under a contract valued at ₹18 crore. The 2025 season was a difficult one for both Samson and the Royals. A side strain kept him on the sidelines for all but nine matches, with Riyan Parag taking over as interim captain. RR finished the season in ninth place, with a record of only four wins from 14 games. Currently, Samson is taking part in a pre-arranged training program at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, as part of a group of players identified by the national selectors.He is expected to play in the Asia Cup, which begins in the UAE on September 9. Prior to that, he will play for the Kochi Blue Tigers in the Kerala Cricket League, where he recently became the most expensive player, at a price of ₹26.8 lakh.
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