While IPL trades are often a shock to no one, this trade is a real eye-opener. The Rajasthan Royals trading their captain, Sanju Samson, to the Chennai Super Kings for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran has the feel of a wild fantasy league move. However, upon further examination, there may be more behind this trade than meets the eye, and the Rajasthan Royals could have pulled off one of the most savvy structural overhauls that we’ve seen since the first year of the IPL.

 

Rajasthan struggled in two big areas in 2025: finishing games and balancing their pace attack. Their top order carried them; their middle order cracked; and their fast bowlers leaked at nearly 10 an over across the board. When a team has this many structural gaps, a single all-rounder won’t fix it. But Sam Curran? He doesn’t fill one gap. He fills half a roster.

 

Batting Order Reinvented, Pressure Redefined

 

RR’s season-long story was simple: If Buttler, Jaiswal, or Samson didn’t win it, nobody did. The finishing group, Parag, Jurel, and Hetmyer, had promise but lacked punch.

 

Curran’s late-overs tempo (career SR 136.38) gives RR what they’ve lacked since Ben Stokes left: someone who doesn’t panic when the runway gets short. Add Jadeja’s finishing calm to that mix, and suddenly the middle order looks less like a liability and more like a weaponised insurance policy.

 

And because Curran is a natural floater, RR finally gets rid of their biggest tactical rigidity: predictability. Now they can send him at No. 3 after a wicket, No. 6 to launch, or No. 7 to stabilize. For the first time in years, RR’s batting blueprint becomes flexible.

 

A Left-Arm Fix for a One-Dimensional Attack

 

Let’s be blunt: RR’s fast-bowling numbers were a near-crisis.

 

  • Tushar Deshpande (10.62 economy)
  • Jofra Archer (9.47 economy, 39.18 avg)
  • Sandeep Sharma (9.89 economy)

 

That’s not leaking runs; that’s a broken tap.

 

Sam Curran doesn’t magically solve everything, but he adds what RR lacked: a left-arm angle, movement with the new ball, and courage at the death.

 

Even at his worst, he is rarely unplayable. At his best, he becomes a momentum-shifter, someone who breaks partnerships or sneaks a 2/23 spell when the match feels stuck. With Archer’s injury frequency resembling a lunar cycle, RR badly needed a backup leader in the pace unit.

 

Curran doesn’t just back Archer. He balances him.

 

One Player, Three Holes Plugged at Once

 

RR aren’t trading for an all-rounder. They’re trading for a system upgrade.

 

Following Samson’s loss, RR can now utilize Curran in a pinch-hitting role at No. 3. With the potential to provide bowling services, he could also alleviate some of the problems that RR have had with their new ball, middle overs, and death overs. The additional contribution he makes as a fielder also adds another level of polish to a team that has historically used the brilliance of its individual members to make up for a lack of cohesive team efforts.

 

In essence, think of Curran as a cricketing Swiss Army Knife; while he may not be the best in each specific area, he has been the most versatile in different places. Since Shane Watson, RR have not had that type of player.

 

If this trade materialises, it won’t be remembered as RR losing a captain. It’ll be remembered as RR choosing cricket logic over sentiment and finally building a team that can compete in all aspects, not just in flashes.

 

Key Takeaway

 

Sam Curran doesn’t just strengthen RR, he redefines what their entire XI can do.

 

FAQs

 

1. What makes Sam Curran valuable to RR?

 

His ability to bat anywhere, bowl in all phases, and offer left-arm variety fills multiple gaps simultaneously.

 

2. Why would RR consider trading Sanju Samson?

 

To reshape their balance with two proven all-rounder, Jadeja and Curran, adding depth across departments.

 

3. How does Curran improve RR’s bowling?

 

He brings left-arm swing, death-overs composure, and much-needed stability alongside the injury-prone Archer.

 

Disclaimer: This blog post reflects the author’s personal insights and analysis. Readers are encouraged to consider the perspectives shared and draw their own conclusions.

 

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