India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has revealed why he never asked for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captaincy after joining the franchise ahead of IPL 2026. The Kerala batter said leadership is a responsibility that should be entrusted by the management rather than demanded by a player.
Samson joined the five-time champions in a blockbuster trade involving Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran before IPL 2026. The move came after he spent five seasons as Rajasthan Royals’ captain, where he led the franchise.
Samson reflected on his journey as captain and explained why he was happy to leave the role behind and focus solely on his batting.
“I really started enjoying captaincy at RR. It’s a different skill, and I was getting better at it every year. By the fourth year of captaincy, I had a clear idea of what it takes to lead a side in IPL and T20s. I was enjoying it completely. But more than that, I wanted to enjoy cricket more. If the environment changes and doesn’t suit you anymore, it’s okay to move on. Captaincy is not something you should ask for. It’s something that should be given to you because people believe you are the right person,” Samson said on JioStar’s Superstars show.
Samson captained Rajasthan Royals in 67 IPL matches between 2021 and 2025, winning 33 and losing 32, while one game ended in a tie and another produced no result.
The right-hander further revealed that he never requested the captaincy during his stint with Rajasthan Royals either, adding that the role was offered to him by franchise owner Manoj Badale. Samson also admitted that playing under Ruturaj Gaikwad was one of the reasons behind his decision not to seek the leadership role at CSK.
“Even at RR, I never asked for it. Manoj Badale sir, the owner of RR told me I was the next captain, and I said I was ready. I captained for five seasons and after that, I was confident enough to leave that role, start fresh, and enjoy my cricket again. But it was important to have the right people around me. Ruturaj was someone I knew I would enjoy playing under. I was ready to play under his captaincy and that was one of the thoughts that guided my decision of not demanding for captaincy after joining CSK,” he continued.
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Samson also spoke about his approach towards selection and individual milestones, stating that he has never been driven by the pursuit of the Orange Cap or by lobbying for a place in the Indian team.
“I had already proven what I am in the IPL and I feel that if the Indian team needs me, I don’t need to score big runs and win the Orange Cap. There have been many instances where I was very close to getting selected in the World Cup team and someone else was picked. But I am not the kind of character who will tell my leaders, ‘Bhaiya, please select me, I will play.’ I am always like, ‘I am here. If you want me, call me.’ I will keep doing my training, I will keep doing my processes.”
“But when you feel that you need Sanju the most, that is the only time when my best will also come out. That is what happened in CSK as well, and in the World Cup too this time. It’s always best to be where you are comfortable, instead of moving out of it, I feel,” he concluded.
After joining CSK, Samson enjoyed an excellent IPL 2026 season, carrying his T20 World Cup form into the tournament and establishing himself as one of the franchise’s standout performers with the bat.
