Mumbai: In a surprising twist to Rajasthan Royals' camp shakeup, former India cricketer and cricket analyst Aakash Chopra has claimed that the meteoric rise of 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi was a major reason behind Sanju Samson’s decision to move on from the franchise.
Chopra, speaking on his YouTube channel, said that Suryavanshi’s explosive debut in the 2025 IPL season unsettled the team dynamics especially in the top-order where Sanju often enjoyed a flexible role. "Vaibhav, paired with Yashasvi Jaiswal, gave RR a dynamic opening combo. His performances were simply too good to ignore, and it created a bit of a shuffle in the lineup that didn’t work in Sanju's favour," Chopra noted.
The teenage prodigy amassed 252 runs in just seven innings with a jaw-dropping strike rate of 206.55. His fireworks included the fastest century by an Indian in IPL history an innings that turned heads across the cricketing world. In contrast, Sanju Samson, while consistent, managed 285 runs from nine innings at a strike rate of 140.39 solid numbers, but not game-changing.
Chopra believes this shift may have pushed Samson to explore other franchises. "There’s talk of Sanju moving on, and if that happens, Kolkata Knight Riders would be a more strategic fit for him than Chennai Super Kings," he added, suggesting that KKR’s batting composition and leadership setup may suit the Kerala cricketer better.
The prospect of Sanju’s departure has already sent ripples through RR’s fan base, but it also highlights a deeper shift within the team ushering in a new era led by young blood like Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
As teams prepare for the next auction window, all eyes will be on Sanju’s final decision and where he chooses to continue his IPL journey.